Cathandra - the paths of the Sith
by Darth Scott
Summary: Cathandra is a young girl, together with her mother sold to a Hutt. One day she is forced to work in the mine. Her story puts the question, what a human or creature makes evil. If weaknesses means death and only strengths, of whatever they're made, let you survive? Why does the sith act cruel and merciless? Is the nature of their doing just the longing for power?
1. The mine of Messata

**Cathandra - the paths of the Sith**

by Scott Jenkins

Cathandra Fordalion stood on a lounge window and looked outside. She looked to where the mines where she had toiled for four years, were sticking up into the sky. Mountain chains, rocks, stones - the camp was surrounded by them. 1500 slaves, and she was one them, toiled day after day 10 hours to mine the valuable minerals from which she herself did not even know for what it were needed.

That she was not working that day in the mines, had the reason that she had killed the Hutt and several supervisors three days earlier. From a normal slave they had not expected such that might have been one of the reasons that she has been successful. That she still lived and the superior, the most of them humans, were dead. Finally, she had made her way to the Hutt and had grilled him.

For the moment, Cathandra was calm, but inside her prevailed anger and hatred. She knew that at the moment a deputation of the empire under the chairmanship by a Moff decided about her fate.

There were two ways for her - death sentence or... well, another way. Maybe they sent her away? She felt that someone was approaching. Cathandra crossed her arms and turned to the door. She opened shortly thereafter.

An Imperial in uniform entered. He looked at her blankly.

"You're lucky slave. The delegation has decided by seven votes to four, that you are allowed to keep your miserable life. They watched the video that shows how you kill the Hutt. The majority of your advocates were impressed with the probably reason that we are now not longer dependent on the Hutt. the Empire can now even take over the business. Take your stuff. In one an hour you leave Messata."

It was the name of the mining colony. Cathandras eyes flashed. For the worst case she had prepared to kill all which had decided to end her life in case of death penalty.

Joy was spreading in her that she could leave this hell after four years of torment. But she did not allowed to herself to be happy for too long. This feeling was ok, but did not bring her much further. After the officer had left the room, Cathandra turned back to the window. A maniacal smile spread over her mouth.

Four years in this hell had let grow anger in hatred in her. But that was not the only, which now had brought her freedom. Cathandra thought back to those moments, that had meant the beginning of her suffering...

She has been nine, when she and her mother were such desperately and shortly before death by hunger, that Forela the Hutt bought them. He owned a several mining colonies, including Messata, that was rich in minerals. The Empire did business with the Hutts.

In the first three years, until Cathandra was twelf, they lived not bad. Her mother was a servant of Forela, Cathandra was allowed to play with other children in her age. Her mates were a Zabrak boy, female Twi'lek siblings and even a female Togruta. Other species, which were humanoid, but not human, were not uncommon to her.

One day, at age 12, she had thrown in a tantrum a protocol droid against the wall so it became useless. As punishment Forela banned her to the mines away from her playmates and especially away from her mother. She saw her mother not longer so often, and her mother had conjured her never to show weakness. And tears were weakness.

The first time in her life Cathandra felt big hatred. She was incredibly angry with the Hutt. Even though she was not completely separated from her mother - the pain was everywhere. To her pain was added desperation but, according to the commandment of her mother, she didn't want to show.

She was sent to the next best mine, from which she even could see the main complex. The mining itself was not really difficult - with lasers were drilled into the wall and the stones tumbled gradually out. But then came the violent part. The mined mineral stones were placed in baskets and the thirty pound container she barely managed. It was incredibly difficult.

So she was allowed in the first months to exclusively drill, but with time she had to carry the heavy rocks yet. The food that they got hardly tasted but was nutritious. The extremely heavy work - ten hours a day - ensured that she slowly, though involuntarily steeled her body.

One day she was thirteen and it happened, that she slipped when transporting the stones and rolled the yards down the slope. Just so she could hold. The pain was intense, but nothing in contrast to the scalding burn, which the whip the superior used, cursed at her back. Cathandra screamed in pain. A further second and even third time she felt the whip. With a grimace she turned to the supervisor and swore him hateful the death. Silently. She picked herself up. But she was not the only who suffered torments. While further months she watched that other slaves in disobedience felt the whip too. With these moments Cathandra felt surprisingly an invisible field, that developed in her. She couldn't describe the feeling, but she sensed in her hands a weak form of electricity pulsing.

The wrath, when she saw the whip, seemed to feed that field and one day, when it happened again, she almost glowed all over her body. Then it slowly disappeared. In the evening, when the shift was over, they gathered around the open fire, which where kindled in the slave quarters. Sometimes Cathandra was with them, sometimes she crept to the main quarter and watched her mother. In even rarer cases her mother saw her and the waved to each other.

But the pain of her being remained. Together with her silent desperation were anger and wrath her only feelings she knew. For a long time she had sworn, to revenge with all and to leave from that place. Until then she hoped, that her wrath could help and give her enough strength and power.

And then there was this strange field, that she felt again and again. One evening she crept again to the main building. A strange instinct let her climb the barricades and hide on a platform, from which normally the slaves work were watched. In the shelter of darkness she saw two well dressed humans watching video clips. The contains amazed her, because they were similar to what she had discovered on herself. She marveled, watched and learned.

The hard work, although she where accustomed, more and more exacted its toll. One noon, when they ate food, it wasn't enough. Still hungry she looked around and found a number of meters beside of her a female slave, which had not yet downed her food.

Cathandra knew what she wanted to. She looked around, took a stone, crept behind of the slave - and knocked down her with all of her power. Her victim screamed shortly and skidded down the declension. Cathandra ate hungry. While that she noticed that she did murder. But regret, sorrow or pity she did not feel. Not longer. After ating up the second cup she were since long for the first time almost full. Pleased she stretched herself. She looked down whether the body of the woman where somewhere to see. Nobody seemed to notice her action.

She took both of the cups, went back to the food bank and gave the cups. She considered - how often could she get more food as she did it this day? If she did it every day, perhaps they could find her out. But from time to time …

Weeks later she again tripped over stones and lost her loading. As she assumed the overseer fast approached to her and scourged her. The fifth time. The pain changed to raging anger. She turned around and sensed, that the strange field in her almost exploded because of her wrath. Her hate erupted and Cathandra acted as she had watched in the videos. She strained her fingers, her hands and with one time - a bluish bolt of flash left her hands. The flash worked between her and the overseer and Cathandra sensed the work of the field in her. The overseer was completely surprised and get such terrible injuries with burns that he slumped down after seconds and died.

Disbelieving the others looked at her, but no one dared to approach her. For the first time she believed to sense fear in the others. Those went back to their work and went to the drop point.

Cathandra for the first time since years smiled. She was baffled because of what she even had done, but it gave her massive feeling. One of power.

A clarification probe approached and ordered her to get back to work. Cathandra told herself in case of leaving one day to destroy all the probes. The death of the overseer were investigated but all of the slaves kept silent from fear. He was replaced by another one.

Weeks went by and after she killed the fourth slave to get his food she were caught. The woman which saw her murder wanted to blackmail her, but Cathandra slept in her face. Both wallowed over the rough underground. In wild rage she took a stone and striked her down. A second and third time. Then the attacker kept underfoot.

Additional slaves rushed to her and asked what happened.

"The bitch wanted my food."

Some of them seemed to know her and meaned the others to leave her. More and more intellectual curiosity let Cathandra climb two, three times the week up to the platform for studying from her hideout the videos, which the two humans were watching. The first time she heard, the strange field, which seemed to be in her, had a name - the force. She liked it.

She also learned, that the loss of slaves, she was responsible for, the overseer hardly cared about. She didn't know, how many here slaved away, but they were a huge number.

One day, she was almost fifteen, her mother suddenly disappeared. The only, what had left to her on nice feelings and memories, wasn't longer. In impotent fury she tried to find the body of her mother - without success. Yet after weeks she was told, her mother had buy herself free and left Messata.

She even got a message from her - one day she would come back and free her too.

Cathandra knew her mother well enough to focus her wrath, which rekindled in her, not against her, but the Hutt. He had not let go her with her.

With impotent fury and hate she trudged outside, noticed, that she can't longer handle the force in her. She screamed in wrath, flashs left her hands and burned four slaves, which were too close to her. Additional force waves left her and vaulted further slaves back. An overseer was one of them. He stand up in rage, took his weapon, but Cathandras flashs were faster. He burned to death. It took minutes, until her wrath was gone for now.

She even smiled. She was rejoiced at what she had done. A small force storm she had unleashed. It was now obvious, that the slaves, which knew her, were in fear. Cathandra enjoyed that feeling of power. Every second day she took a slave and stole his food. She noticed, that the other slaves tried to share their small food rests, but sometimes the one whom she had stole his food, died a wretched death.


	2. The discovery of the force

The additional portions of food let Cathandra be more and more fine, her body prospered and the hard work was increasing better to handle. She was fine - under the circumstances, the other were not. She didn't care. Her sixteenth birthday she spent silently. Many important things she had watched and learned in these secret sessions, but she assumed, that she just scratched the surface. One night the force in her acted strangely. She awaked and sensed, that about twenty five slaves assembled. They wanted to kill her. They approached. Cathandra pretended to sleep and let rise her wrath. In the last moment she listened to the force and exploded her. All slaves were catapulted in an high arc. Cathandra took a bigger item, let pulse him by her instinct and pitched it against one, who again tried to approach to her. She took the one, who had tried to cast the first strike against her, in a headlock. "YOU SEE THIS?!", she called and - broke his neck. In panic the attackers went on the run. She looked at the corpse. With her shoe sole she turned him disdainful to the side and kneeled to medidate. The force had saved her life and brought her a big position of power. She was proud of what she was able to. She plunged into the feeling, the flush and delighted. For a moment she believed to see her mother, to hear her voice - which told her: Cut your own path! Cathandra sensed, that the force in her was just the beginning of what she could achieve. She could do amazing things and it was just the beginning. If she only thought on what she possibly was able to do one day, she got jittery. Weeks went by and Cathandra sensed, that the time was ready. Most of the slaves avoided her freely. One day at noon she went to the food station and watched the overseer. She stayed and her glance went fiercy in him. "Give me another cup", she said with a bittersweet voice. The overseer waited a moment, then he spat on her. Cathandra ducked in the last moment. She slapped with the back of her hand in his face. Angry he took is weapon, but Cathandra used the force to push him back, before he could use the weapon. Painfully he dropped to the underground, but she let him no rest. She canalized her wrath and burned him with flashs. The force warned her. She turned around and realized, that her action was noticed. Four overseer came to her in hurry and started to use their weapons. She listened to the force and rolled over the underground and sent lightings. Despite the one or another hit she took. The pain she changed into bigger hate. In the end all four overseers were dead. An alert started. Cathandra ran into the entrance, where normally only personal stuff was allowed to. She considered, whether to use some items for protection, but meanwhile she loved her flash bolts. Because she knew the hallways still from earlier, she knew to some extend where to walk. She came to the first metal wall, which could only pass persons with permission. Cathandra went back and gave the one of the dead overseers a piggyback. One the gate she used the hand of the overseer for entry. The gates went to the sides. Attendants looked at her aghast, but let her go. Some further attendants she pulled back and burned them. The lifts were blocked, so she had to use the stairways. In the end she overbeared the last guards of Forela the Hutt and stand in front of him. "What the hell you believe you're doing?", the voice of Forela roared. "Revenge", she said loud, "you destroyed my family." In her voice were hate and gree. "I treated you well, you and your mother. How should I let you go - you and your mother - she hadn't enough cash for you both, she had …" Her entire wrath, pent-in over the last years, canalized in her and flashs with such huge power, which surprised herself, left her hands and ended in the body of the Hutt. He howled loud, then he was dead. Burned. Cathandra fluttered with her hand on her nose. "He stinks worse than the others." Now she noticed, that she wasn't alone. Her flashs had killed two further attendants. The others starred at her aghast and terrified. "Go get a new job. You're free." She gathered spit and spat it over the Hutt. Cathandra was about to go, when she saw on the exit those two humans, which she has for months, for years watched. "You have potential, little girl", the man said, "we'll tell to the Empire and send a recommendation for Korriban. With luck you're allowed to survive and get training." The woman crossed her arms. "Where did you learn to use the force as you did, girl?" With slow steps she went towards to both. "Answer!" "From you both, my Lords. I've watched you." Cathandra bowed. "I sensed you, girl. On so many evenings. The force let me let you do as you liked", the woman said. "Come on", the man said, "the Empire will decide your fate." 


	3. Arrival at Korriban

An hour later Cathandra sat in a transport to the imperial fleet. The ferry had brought fresh slaves to Messata, which she left finally. With satisfaction she had watched the unloading of the ill-fated creatures. On the way to the fleet she swore to learn about the force as much as ever possible at Korriban. She meditated until her arrival and let the force pulsing in her. After further two days they arrived. Cathandra sensed already the dark presence of the fleet from far. Probably not few Sith-Lords moved there, to travel through the galaxy. Because Cathandra had a direct invitation to the academy, she could pass the army physical. Any number of Imperials, troops and indeed some Lords of the Sith she found and had to be attentive not to collide with them. She listened to the force, with leaded her without problems to the ferry for new recruits. She was not the only on the way to the academy. She sensed in the others and believed to sense the force in them too, but not as strong as it was in her. Some yards away were further recruits, but those where aspirants for the Sith warriors. "Acolye Fordalion Cathandra", the overseer said. He pointed to the wall, where weapons for training hung. "Take one." Expressionless she followed. The weapons had a weight of probably two kilograms. Cathandra weighed it in her hand and put it on. She went back to the others. She had already heard, that she wouldn't get a lightsaber yet at Korriban. Not before a Lord of the Sith would pick one as apprentice, would it happen. Two hours later the ferry started. She took a seat on one of the transport seats. Curious she looked at her new 'buddies', which all of them wanted to become inquisitors as she wanted. The apprenticeship would take four years. But the fewest of them would survive the hard training. Cathandra had swore to master all of the obstacles. After twenty hours they arrived at Korriban and entered the atmosphere. Cathandra closed her eyes and enjoyed to took the dark presence she felt, in her. She felt great darkness which became stronger, as close they were to the landing place. She noticed a buddy, which had wide opened eyes, clung to the seat frantically and breathed heavily. One of the first casualties of the academy, she thought. This one would hardly survive the day. They were thrilled, then the ferry stood. The door opened, they went outside. A dry climate awaited. Red gleaming mounts around them were the reason for a frightening feel. Cathandra smiled. Something like that she had expected. "Hurry, cruds! I'll make you all get a move on!", an overseer called loud. She followed the others over a platform to a room. Their trainer, as she assumed, looked at them scornfully. "So many new worms", he said with a raspy voice. Cathandra now noticed, that they were separated into two groups. In every of them were ten recruits. "My name is Gondor, acolytes. I'll lead you in the next years through the most lessons. Thankfully only one of you insects will survive and be left, to become the apprentice of Lord Zelata. The rest of you will kick the bucket until then." Lord Zelata, a woman, she thought, will be my future master. I have to manage, that I'll be left. The trainer went in front of a female recruit. "Do you believe that she'll pick you, spawn?!", he said loud. She nodded mechanically. "Pshaw!", he returned. "You'll not survive the first year. Because if I do not squelch you, somebody other will do or the planet crunches you." Cathandra grinned. They were dismissed, a quartermaster assigned them there small rooms and they could watch some the environment. Cathandra found out, that there was a bar. She liked the academy increasingly. The very first time since years she had the feeling that the things got better. She wanted to survive the planet - at all costs. The next morning after eight and a little breakfast they got their first lesson. The trainer was again Gondor. His tone was less rough. "You're all here, 'cause you are sensitive to the force. But this means nothing, if you can't handle it. Our ancestors once called the dark side of the force Bogan. For your understanding what it means we start with the codex of the Sith." A little break. "There is no peace, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory my chains are broken. The force shall set me free." With half closed eyes Cathandra repeated silently the codex and absorbed every word. She found it great. The force pulsed in her, like it sensed her joy. On the late morning they had the first force lesson. This time they had another trainer. They were told that force flashs could not only kill, but do further things. With the first alternative they could torture somebody. He should suffer horrible pain. The teaching was not easy, but Cathandra learned with highest focus. At the end of the week she could use four different versions of flashs. Additional to the one, who did not kill the victim but let it suffer, she could also paralyze the other. A further additional form was to confuse. But they were told that to confuse the other was also possible by other ways of the force. At the end of the weak - Sunday they had meditation - Gondor again teached them. He was waspish. Cathandra sensed, that this day would be the first victim. She even knew, who it would be. With attention she had watched her buddies. A female one - there were four females - was not fine since two days. Gondor indeed let her come forward. Additional a male recruit, a pure-blooded, which descended from the old species of the Sith. He had a red skin and a small augmentation. Gordon looked at him. "You're allowed to, Berus." His eyes flashed, while the ones of the ill-fated opened wide. Cathandra watched Berus' flashs and heard the death screams of the woman. With that they were nine. "The first", Gondor said and shook his head. "How did she stand the entrance exam?" 


	4. The big surprise

Cathandra had nothing against the teaching - quite the opposite, but she looked forward to the meditation day, which passed too fast While the second week they the first time had combat training, but this kind of teaching was in the background. They were future inquisitors, at least the one, which was left. Cathandra noticed, that she had because of her steeled body no problems with the sword, but was not overly clever at it. Some rotations, caracoles and strikes she made well, but that was as far as it went. Thank God she didn't need to learn a difficult style. Inquisitors, or future Sith sorcerer, had the lightsaber rather as adornment and as a sign. Also the second week passed. The second Sunday, between meditations, Cathandra decided to visit a mountain range, even though it was forbidden to them to go there. She met on the way not less other recruits, some of them even acolytes. In an not watched moment she scurried in a small path which leaded after a while up. After an hour she arrived heavily breathing and wanted to rest. Suddenly a red lightsaber was on her neck. "So what've we got here? A female recruit breaks the rules? Are you aware that I can decapitate you with a move of my hand?" Cathandra looked to the side in the face of the female overseer. She loaded her wrath for canalizing, but this time the force acted strangely. She almost got in panic, but the force told her that anything was fine. "Something's wrong", she replied surprised. "The force doesn't work." But she saw stun in the face of the female overseer. "I know. I notice too." She deactivated the right blade. Cathandra looked at her. She seemed to be in the end of twenty. The overseer shook her head. "I have a strange feeling." The surprise kept. She looked at Cathandra with frown. "What's your name, acolyte?" "Cathandra. Cathandra Fordalion." The overseers' mouth went wide open. "Fordalion?" The surprise seemed to be big. Cathandra sensed it. "Is your mothers first name Katya?" Now Cathandra was surprised. "Yes! How do you know?" The overseer took her hands over her face. She sat. "My name is Talia by the way. Talia Fordalion." Cathandra also took her hands over her face. "Does it mean - we are sisters?" "Obviously yes, but 'til now I didn't know that I have one", Talia replied. Cathandra sat in cross-legged. That was intense. "Never mind. Me too not." A thought came to her mind. A necklace, which she wore on her neck, and at the down part was a carved piece wood. On it stand: 'Fordalion'. She showed to Talia. These nodded. "I have such one too." She took her and showed Cathandra. There also was a carved piece wood with 'Fordalion'. Stunned Cathandra looked at her. "What do we do now?" "What is your fathers first name, Cathandra?" "Damos." Talia nodded. "Then we are full sisters." She shook her head and laughed. "I'll be blowed!" Cathandra laughed too. Then she was serious again. "Mother disappeared years ago. We were together with a fucking Hutt as slaves. I slaved away for four years in the mining of Messata. Then I killed the half of the stuff there including the Hutt. And now I'm here." Talia smiled. "You survived and are here now. Nothing else matters, Cathandra." To Cathandra that news were so overwhelming, that she didn't know how to sort her feelings. "And what are you doing up here?" "Oversight. I take care that the recruits don't break the rules. Normally I had killed you. You are not the first, who tries. But the first and only, who survives", Talia said. Cathandra sensed in her sister and felt unbelievable much familiarness. "One day I'll have a red lightsaber too", she said. Talia smiled. "I hope you'll, little sister. But a hard and rough way is before you. And I can't help you with eliminating your rivals." Cathandra eyes flashed. "I'll do this myself. We have two pure-blooded with us. I'll handle them." "You get that if you meditate a lot and focus completely to the teaching. Cathandra - I sense a lot of wrath and hate in you, what'll help you a lot. Without these things I wouldn't be here. You have much to learn about aggression. With that you can do yet more amazing things soon. You're with the inquisitors, right?" Cathandra nodded. Talia smiled. "I envy you a bit. In some years you'll be able to very amazing things. Things I'll never be able to." "What kind of a Sith are you, Talia?" "I'm a Sith warrior. My division is called the juggernauts. There are yet marauders, which even use two lightsabers in battle." Cathandras eyes widened. "Two lightsabers? That would be cool!" Talia nodded. "Yeah, it looks great. But marauders needs more mobility, so they have less armor. And you inquisitors will have natty robes. With that you not really have an armor, but with that force you'll unchain soon, nobody will come too close to you to harm you." "Couldn't you teach me too? Or yet better - we teach each other." Talia smiled. "Why not? For what one has family, even you didn't know she exists 'til now." Cathandra beamed. "This becomes great!" She suddenly turned her head. She sensed two recruits, which were as careless as she was minutes ago. "I sense them too", Taila said disdainful. "Let me handle this, Cathandra." She nodded. After a minute both appeared and stiffed, when they detected Talia. "Up here is forbidden area. Are you aware what happen to recruits which break the rules?" Both looked horrified at each other. Then they escaped in different directions. Talia shook her head. "Cowards. And amateurs." She jumped, as far and high Cathandra never before had seen it, and decapitated the recruit while landing. The other ran around in panic. Cathandra moved her right hand. "Come here, I'm a friend." The recruit stiffed, looked at her, smiled and came to her. When he was close enough, she paralyzed him and when his movements stopped completely, she used her deadly flashs. He burned beyond recognition. Talia reached her. She had the disembodied head in her hand. "Not bad, little sister", she praised her. Cathandra nodded delighted. "But two things surprise me. Because I know the teaching schedules for the inquisitors a bit, I know that the force mind-trick is earliest in one year scheduled. And that an acolyte in such an early state can use it with such a distance, is amazingly." Cathandra believed to hear proud in the voice of her sister. "Please promise me, little sister", said Talia and made some steps. "If we want to come a long way - give no mercy, no compassion, no remorse, no empathy and so on as the Jedi do. Trust no one, unless yourself, the family or the force. Be merciless and rough, as we did it here. Then are all doors open to us. Promise, that you never again come up here. We can by the way meet once the week. We meet in the bar and can talk. Then you can report me your proceedings. If you mess in the presence of mine things up, I'll discipline you, trust me. With that I mean in the first place that you never show weakness." "I broke myself of weaknesses. Otherwise I wouldn't have survive in the mine", Cathandra replied dead. Talia nodded. "Even better. But you're right. You're not weak." "And if I am, you can torture me." Talia raised her eyebrows. "You learn fast, Cathandra. That's good. But you're right. Torture is the fastest way to regain to strength. At least if you have the power for. But power you have obviously in huge quantity." Cathandra offered Talia her hand. "To our family! May she one day rules the galaxy." Talia smiled horrible and took her hand. "Aye - may she one day rules the galaxy!" She kissed Cathandra at her forehead. "Now you need to tell me, who are the Jedi." 


	5. The first mission

A week later the trainer opened for them the first time the mission list. There were about fifty missions available to them with different difficulties - simple to very difficult. Some of these missions were onetime missions, others could be done frequently. And with finishing of missions they were scoring. Depending on the difficulty more or less. So every second day was a mission day.  
One picked a mission and could handle it alone or in a group. This day Cathandra picked for her first day a medium mission with a score of three. According to the mission briefing there was in the former Sith-villages a garden, which was steeped in darkness. Marka Ragnos himself was meditating there centuries ago, according to rumors.  
The flora of the garden created in bloom a powder as by-product, which gathered on a certain point. Like iron filings, who geared to a magnet, the powder gathered on a place, which was steeped in such immense darkness, that the most recruits went insane. Cathandras curiosity was definite awaked. She continued reading the briefing and realized, that this garden was only reachable through a former sewerage, which was verminous.  
According to the briefing there lived local animals with a size of twenty to thirty inches. Carnivores. A number of recruits felt victims to them and did not reach the garden. We'll see about that, Cathandra thought. She was first of all curious for the darkness. She saved the data in her private database and left the training area. After a few hundred yards she reached the glider station of the academy.  
Lent were gliders, which moved pre-programmed to destinations. Cathandras destination was about ten miles outside of the academy area. Her glider went on. She didn't care of the airstream, so she disabled the air shield. The area passed her and she realized, that Korriban were made of more than rocks. Trees, shrubs and infrequent animals she saw. After five minutes she arrived.  
She checked her database. Based on her position the direction was shown. Once again walk a mile. But first she went contrary to her first destination and reached a small stream where she quenched her thirst. She also filled her bottle of emergency. She turned back and finally went to there, where the entrance of the sewerage was. It was a hole, where three recruits were standing around.  
One of them seemed to had collected three small pieces wood. Cathandra crept in the near of their backs. She watched that one of them picked the smallest one. Horrified he looked at his buddies.  
"What's going on?", she said loud. "Is scum in fear of vermin?" She opened a way through them.  
"Out of my way", she said with a robust voice. Close to the hole she turned. "Watch me for handle this as a pro." She again turned and wanted to climb the ladder down.  
"Please wait! Can we … can we accompany you?" Her wrath were rising. She liked it. But the fear and distressfulness she felt in the others grossed her out. "If you're able to …", she said disdainful. With hurry she went down the ladder.  
"Come on …!", she heard call one of them. After half a minute she arrived down. Bad smell tormented her nose. It almost stank more abominable than she knew of the mine. With some luck the smell kept the others away.  
She listened away with the force. In the closer environment she found first primitive signs of life. The roaring of the ladder let her hurry away. Ten yards, then alleys started. Cathandra hurried aside. She heard a further 'wait please' and plunged into the darkness. Again she listened around with the force. The others passed her position without being aware of her.  
"Where go now?", one of them asked. "Let's go straight on." - "Where is she? Can you see her?" Cathandra complete covered into the force and tried to explore with this way the sewerage. She realized that it was not highly branched. Long time ago drain water seemed to run here. But signs of that wasn't there more. The smell she had in her nose seemed to be by animals and their evaporations.  
A step in front of a skeleton was. Humanoid. A recruit seemed to be perished her. She went off of her shadow and decided to watch the recruits. There already was a first fight. She turned the corner and went some further steps and - saw them. The recruits tried to use some force abilities but seemed to be warrior beginners. Four of the animals they killed, the fifth bit in the leg of one. He screamed in pain.  
The other both took him in their middle and went away. Cathandra shook her head and kept in distance. She now sensed behind of her also three simple signs of life, turned around and paralyzed anything three yards in front of her. The animals - she never in her life had seen such ones like them - fell over immobilized. She canalized her wrath and used her flashs. Cathandra meanwhile knew, that she could use them at the moment only with three to five seconds.  
Then there was a break, as she would take a deep breath. Then she could repeat the flash. The animals were dead. She turned around and went silently the way which she could see with the force. She heard the next screams and went until she saw them again. This time there were a lot more of the animals and the injured recruit was on the ground and defended himself against them desperately. In a few moments it's all over for him, Cathandra thought. His screams became more loud, his buddies couldn't help him. Two animals finally lashed into him and ate of him.  
After all he stopped moving. A silent whimper was hearable. The others two of them were go on the run and defended desperately. They did it. Cathandra realized that she did 'til now not more than a quarter of the sewerage. Again a number of animals were approaching. She counted six. She went down on her knees and waited. Until the last moment. Then she let explode the force. Four of them were catapulted against the wall, two in the way in front of her. The closest to her she paralyzed, for the others she used her flashs.  
Fuming, lifeless bodies were left. She kicked one of them against the wall and was surprised about the weight of it. Even when it was dead. She went the way, step by step. She turned left, then right and again left. She sensed and heart somebody breathing poor. One of the last recruits sat on the wall and seemed to hyperventilate. With bad luck an animal found him soon. He was injured as she could see.  
"Why … you did … not … help … us?" She crossed her arms.  
"Why should I? Why you're on this academy, recruit? But why I use this word 'recruit' - you're a wretched failure. I can't believe that you have stand the entrance test. Probably it's good, that only one will left. You would ashame the Sith with your distressfulness. Die here - where nobody will find you." She sensed three further animals. She turned down and shortly after three small further bodies smoked.  
Cathandra considered. Should she kill him or let him suffer? What was more funny? She decided not to kill him. If she came back later, she could fetch it later. She went on and stopped some minutes later. The force showed her something. Cathandra went down on her haunches and looked at the skeletonized remains of dead animals. In these remains she discovered rings.  
With the force she took one of the remains up and shook. Three rings fell down. The animal seemed to eat in his lifetime the remains of recruits, to which the rings once belonged. She pouched it. Perhaps she could sell it later at an merchant. She went on. To the exit on the other side she burned out three nests with about twenty animals. She reached the second ladder and climbed up.  
The blazing sun blinded her for a moment, but what she saw after, amazed her highly. Flowers and plants, which she never before had seen. She couldn't stop watching, but already from here she sensed the huge darkness. She listened with the force and realized, that the destination was some hundreds of yards away. She went step by step and got slowly involved with the darkness.  
Nightmares in fractions of a second, pictures of insanity flied into her. Cathandra used the force partially as a shield of protection. In the archives of the academy she had read, how to defend herself from such huge and almost overpowering darkness. She didn't know, whether she was far enough as Acolyte, but it had been worth the try and to her joy she already got first little events of success, so she could secure mentally.  
Sometimes she screwed up her eyes, but her curiosity for the darkness was too big. Like deeps of human souls waves reached her, which she partially absorbed, partially reflected, partially soaked up.  
Cathandra was fascinated by some things she saw. Darkness more and more took possession of her. Some later she saw the third recruit sitting on a bench. He had clawed out his eyes and bloody sponges were in his eye sockets. Slowly she went on and tried at least a bit to look at the beauty in the environment. She breathed faster. The intensity of the waves increased.  
But what created such a darkness? She saw rivers of blood, humans, which mangled each other … The wall of force, with which she defended herself, was needed to strengthen minute by minute. Meanwhile she expanded the protection over her whole body. Ten minutes later, with huge trouble, she reached her destination. Her eyes were watering. She needed her full focus not to become insane. With shaking hands she finally went down on her haunches - in front of her a big heap of purple powder.  
She took the leather pouch which she had taken with her from the academy and filled it. She put the pouch back, rose and turned down. With full focus she used her force for protection and tumbled back the six hundred yards to the ladder. She climbed down fast. Perceptible the darkness gone. Cathandra panted. She granted herself some rest. Minutes later she again could think clearly.  
On the way back she sensed with the force for further treasures, which weak recruits possibly had let back by their deaths. Indeed she found some. She was curious, how much she would get for it. Again she killed about twenty animals, which in the end changed the smell of the sewerage a bit. Burned meat. She reached the first ladder and climbed up. Her head war clear again. Two further recruits waited.  
"You - how is going on down there?" Cathandra sneered. "The most of the animals I've killed. But then … at the other side when you climb up there - a beautiful garden is expecting you."  
One of the recruits nodded. "Yeah, we wanna go there."  
The other looked at her. "Or we hook her pouch." Fun and wrath increased at the same time. "Make a try." He drew his sword.  
"Let it. Damn - she is one of the inquisitors", the other warned.  
"Just go", she said scornful. "As I said - there is a beautiful garden."  
He took his sword back. "Let's go." Now Cathandra realized that she had met here only future warriors. She watched them disappear and wondered whether she would meet them again. Half an hour later she reached the academy and gave the gaping mission assistant the powder. "Good job, acolyte."  
Cathandra nodded. "Do you know coincidentally the next merchant?" The men told her one, so she decided to meet the guy, which was outside of the academy. He examined her findings and transferred to her 400 credits.  
Satisfied she went back to the academy and rested for an hour. After noon she went to the archive and searched for additional chapters for mental force protection. Because - soon she wanted to visit the garden again.


	6. The renegades part I

The over next day again was a mission day, but Cathandra decided not yet again to go to the garden. She was in two minds about what to do.  
The pure-blooded, Berus, passed her. "Cathandra", he said. "I was watching you. You seems to have beside me in our group the one with the most potential. Would you mind if we join the group-mission?"  
He pointed to a mission, where already three others had joined. But it was a mission for five.  
Cathandra read the briefing. Thirty miles outside of the academy was a bigger group of former recruits, which had opposed to the academy. The academy leadership wanted the erasement.  
Cathandra smiled and nodded to Berus. "That sounds good."  
So he joined, she too. Now all group members were notified automatically. Meeting place was a point a few miles outside of the academy.  
Cathandra looked at the group list. They were three inquisitors and two warriors.  
"I hope they don't fuck up", she said on the way to outside. "In the last time I only met weak warriors."  
"Every group has weak ones", Berus replied. "Two, at an outside estimate three recruits with high potential, the others are worthless."  
"Some buddies are needed for use", Cathandra said.  
Berus grinned. "There you're right I think."  
They reached the glider. Cathandra put in the destination and followed Berus. Ten minutes later they reached a connection station. Those three other recruits already waited.  
"We can use a further glider to our destination", one of the warriors said.  
Cathandra nodded and shortly after they approached to their destination.  
They consulted with each other. "There is a river, which flows to the margin of the area", said the third inquisitor or her group, which seemed to belong to the other inquisitor group.  
"But that why they do not have to hide there", meant another of the warriors.  
"They have to", countered Cathandra. "Independently of what they do the most time of the day, one time they have to come back to the river to backfill their water supplies. Unless, somewhere there is a further unknown source of water."  
"That is not likely", Berus replied. "For the rest I agree. We only have to search the river area. But we don't should hurry up. If we have suddenly a fight five against forty, then we've lost. Smart would be an observation post, from which we can scout the area."  
Cathandra curious watched Berus.  
"My father is tactical officer in the Empire. I learned not few."  
She nodded approving. She got an idea. "Would you all mind if we combine our force and search the enemy with that way?"  
Berus' eyes flashed. "That's a good idea!"  
They took their hands in a threesome, focused and plunged into the force. Shortly after Cathandra localized first traces. That was enough for now. They separated. "We have to go a lot so our first step should be to fill our own water supplies."  
"Agree", Berus said. Half an hour later they reached the river and slaked the thirst. The first recruits, they had to eliminate, were yet three miles away. They went on slowly and crested carefully a close hill. They watched the situation. The first 15 renegades were in front of them.  
Cathandra closed her eyes and tried to read the nature of them. She sensed that Berus and Tomas, the third inquisitor, did the same. The renegades never again wanted back, but few of them seemed some shy. Should they use the moment of surprise? The most of them rose suddenly and left the camp in the contrary direction.  
Just five remained. That was the chance.  
"We should set a trap for them", Tomas suggested, "one of us shows up to them and tries to allure them here. We expect them here."  
Cathandra had not a better idea. She nodded and hide together with Berus. Tomas rose and waved down to the camp.  
"I think they come."  
A few minutes later they heard steps which came closer. Cathandra could sense everybody of them.  
The renegades seemed to be curios whether they got reinforcements. Some steps later Cathandra and Berus showed up and cut off the retreat.  
She stirred up her hate and rose her force.  
"Hey you - you want perhaps … oh shit, that's a trap", one of them said.  
Cathandra paralyzed the closest to her and sent her flashs. Berus did the same.  
For now they fought one-to-one. For the first time they looked at a fight of warriors. They fought with high hardness and bestiality.  
Cathandra sent a second wave of flashs against the remaining three, which shortly after were dead by too many flash attacks.  
"Five less", Berus said. "And ten left. From the first camp."  
They went back to the point, from where they could scout the camp.  
"A new trap?", considered on the both warriors. We go the camp and pretend to sleep. So we have surprise and confuse them."  
Cathandra and Berus looked at each other. "Let's try."  
Carefully they went the hill down. The rest of the recruits were not back yet. Arrived in the camp, they laid down.  
It took a few minutes, then Cathandra sensed the recruits coming back. She use the force to shield herself mentally, otherwise she had tipped her hand, because she sensed further inquisitors among the renegades.  
The others reached them. "Hey - sleeping at daytime? Seriously? Why … oh shit, they aren't …"  
Time was up. Cathandra exploded her force, rolled aside and paralyzed the two of them. The force let her again jump aside. Flashs passed her close. The force showed her the source and she sent her own. Cathandra quickly felt, that his combat was definitely harder than anything else. After her flash was gone, she needed again to jump aside. But this time they hit her. She felt pain, which she changed into wrath. With her next flash she could kill the second recruit in the camp. Again she needed to jump aside, because a recruit jumped at her position. She turned and paralyzed him. At close range she sent her next flashs. Quickly she sensed to her allies and realized that Tomas and the second warrior were injured. The most dangerous attackers she paralyzed, so the fighting balance was again even.  
While this moment the allied warrior dotted their enemies. Her instinct told her, that a group tactic was preferred to single tactics. That meant - they had to keep free their backs. She did and did anything, to kill, to paralyze or to confuse the rest of the enemies.  
At the end they breathed heavily. At least both warriors and Tomas. Berus and she pretended that nothing did happen. A glimpse aside she realized her arm had burns. Should she let it or try to heal? She knew, corruption was cure.  
Curiosity came over her and she focused her force. First nothing happened. Then she felt, that a part of her force flowed in her arm. Berus stood a few steps beside of her with crossed arms.  
The warriors fought with a style called Shii-Cho. One for beginners. Tomas frisked the camp and came back with a pouch.  
"Here are the academy tags. It is the proof we need."  
"You all did well, measured against superior numbers", said Cathandra.  
Gerrak, the name of the second warrior, looked at her. "You did well too."  
"We should continue", said Berus. "Or do you need more rest?"  
"His wounds aren't cured yet", Gerrak said with a glimpse at Justus, which was injured.  
"Shut up", he replied and rose. "We can continue."  
Without speaking they collected objects of value of the fallen and went the river down. Justus acted brave, but he was the reason they went on only slowly. Shortly after it was enough to Cathandra. In anger she yanked his shirt up, but marveled about the size of his wound. She canalized her wrath and hold her hand upon his wound.  
"You're able yet to use corruption?", Tomas asked stunned.  
Cathandra didn't reply. She looked at her own wound and was glad as surprised, that the sized of her burn wound had halved. Her instinct seemed to be big. How else she could have done a cure without knowledge?  
A few minutes later he was better and didn't delayed them. After an hour they reached a point, from which she could see the next camp with nine further renegades.  
Cathandra listened away with the force. Four camps were in front of them with thirty former recruits.  
"Your ability for the force must be large, if you can see so far", Tomas marveled.  
"You cannot see so far?", Berus asked scornful.  
Cathandra considered, whether Berus just boasted or if he indeed could see so far as she could. Cathandra again put Justus' shirt up and routed her force for cure to his body. Now she noticed that Justus looked in her eyes.


	7. The renegades part II

"You're beautiful", he said. It was the first time that a man told her something like that. Okay, a man he wasn't yet, but at least his nature seemed to work. If she was honest, she could describe him as sweet. He was human as she was. "Don't confuse me. Focus on the mission." "Well, I'm ready." "Well, good for you." "I suggest a new strategy", Berus said, "open attack. Let's see, how they react." They went on until 200 yard before the camp. The renegades did notice of them. "They seems to be in two minds about what to do", Tomas said. "Indeed. Behind us could theoretical hide a big number more of us", Berus meant. The renegades acted more and more messy. With a glimpse aside she noticed that Gerrak wanted to hurry up. "If one of you abandons his post, this one gets my flashs in his back", she warned. Berus gave a little cough. The renegades were still at strife. "They think it's a trap", Cathandra confirmed. "At their side I would call for back-up", said Berus. Cathandra detected close to the camp a few boulders. She assumed the weight of them at 1 to 2 hundredweights. "Perhaps we should use a new surprise", she suggested. "We go in, myself at the right side and I will prove that stone is harder than a bone." Berus looked at her. "Fascinating. Let's try." They went to the camp, the renegade recruits watched them bewildered. Cathandra approached to the mass of stones. She use the force and tried to detect, how close she needed to come. She routed the force in her legs so she could run faster. Twenty yards away from the stones she realized that it was enough. She took one. The combat started - thirty yards away from her. She plunged completely into the force and moved the boulder to the fighters. About the force she warned Berus and Tomas. The others fought anyway with their sights to her. Three renegades she could fell, the others tried to destroy the boulder with flashs, but this was almost senseless. Plus she moved the boulder very fast. Two further attackers fell down. The rest of them - three - were quickly disabled. Cathandra let the boulder free and listened away with the force. "21 left." They rested for ten minutes. "Cathandra - you allow?", Berus asked and pointed to the boulder. She rose her eyebrows. "Take it", she said patronizing, although she had intended to repeat the stone-attack with the left camps. "I'm sure it is funny." She smiled cold "It is." Three hours later she bended over the last dead renegade. Disdainful she touched the body with her shoe sole and turned it. The combat on this day had been a fascinating experience to her. But they had casualties. Gerrak had died, Tomas too. Justus was thus badly injured that he couldn't move. Cathandras left arm had some wounds, her legs too. Berus had wounds as well. She had pain, she was in great deal of it, but she carried it off well. To her mother she sworn to never show weakness. So she sat and pretend that nothing was happened. Actually she let the force work in her. Her pain she changed into hatred, and he routed the force. Minutes later the pain became less. She rose and begun to cure Justus. She noticed that he tried to heal himself, but his abilities were too poor. After twenty minutes he moved again. His hand touched her cheek. "Do you give me a kiss, before I die?", he whispered. Again he confused her. Feelings, endearments - thinking about such things, she had never the time before. In the mine years ago things like this would have been unthinkable. "You won't die." She considered. Risk it? Unsure she looked at Berus, which cured his own wounds. Justus' finger touched gently her lips. If she yielded to him, was it weakness? Like out of the blue she bowed to him and put her lips on his ones. The feeling was - unique. She separated of him. His eyes shined. Cathandra was surprised herself, what kind of feelings went through her. She felt heat. Justus smiled. She continued letting the force work through her hands. After two further hours, it was already afternoon and she was hungry, Berus rose. "You're ready?", he asked. They gathered the rest of the academy tags and as well as all valuable things they could find and started back. Cathandra was grateful, when they finally arrived the glider and drove back to the academy. The superior noticed the collected tags and nodded appreciative. "You did that job very well, acolytes. Be proud!" Cathandra went to the merchant and sold her part of all the valuable things. She got 1100 credits. Hey eyes shined. Back in the academy she met Justus who head her off. "Tomorrow is Saturday. May I buy you a drink then?" Although she felt flattered, she was looking forward to her meet with Talia. This had first priority. "After that?", he wanted to know. "Perhaps." Cathandra went in her room and watched in the mirror, she had bought. A beautiful face with delicate features she saw. She breathed deeply. There were a lot of things about love, romances and so on, which she didn't knew. She hoped that Talia could help her. 


	8. Sisters

With a beaming face she embraced in the bar her sister, they give each other left and right a hearty kiss. Cathandra gave her a blue looking drink. "Hey - you come to credits?" She nodded. "We could handle yesterday the renegade recruits in the river area. From them we have a lot." Talia nodded. "I already heard of your success. Good job!" She whispered. "I'm proud of you!" Cathandra smiled. "I kissed a boy." Talia grinned. "Tell me." Cathandra told her shortly. "But I know thus few about things as feelings, kisses and things like that." Talia watched her. "So you're a virgin yet?" Cathandra looked at her without understanding. Talia nodded. "You're a virgin yet. Unless, you had been yet in passion with a boy." "How would I do that?" The sister grinned. "It starts with kissing. You told that you felt heat? Anything else?" Cathandra shook her head. "Nothing that I would know." "You have to kiss longer." Talia hold her hand before her mouth, so nobody could see her smile. "Be glad you're not with the Jedi. With them any passion, love, sex and things like that are rigorous forbidden. If they do, they cast one out." "Fools", Cathandra shook her head. "Indeed", Talia confirmed. "Little sister, because of your former slavery, you could escape from, you lost years. You need to make up for it. Try to get that knowledge in our library. Cathandra smiled. "I already do that. I am there every spare minute, when we have no training. On this way I got protection mechanisms against huge insane and darkness. I was in this garden of darkness recently." Talia's mouth was open. "Cool. I couldn't have done that, Cathandra. The force I have is only for combat. As I told you recently one day you'll have huge abilities of the force. Cathandra nipped her drink. It tasted some kind of sweet and contained some spice. Talia told of her work as trainer, as much as it was allowed to her. "Does your recruits already fight with lightsabers?", she wanted to know. Talia shook her head. "No, sweetie. All recruits of the academy use train swords, but they are similar deadly." Cathandra put her head at the hand. "While we were on the subject of virginity - are you one?" Talia laughed. "No, honey. Not more since two years. One time the week I fuck the one instructor fellow, which whom I understand best." Cathandra grinned. "It makes fun?" "Whether sex is fun?", Talia grinned. "Of course. Full passion, two bodies touch each other and the orgasm is doozie. But 'cause I have no desire to get pregnant, I have to visit the academy doctor." Cathandra sighed. "I really have to visit the academy again. I definitely know too less." Talia smiled on her. "Do it. You just have to decide whether you want to wait or not." Cathandra nodded. "What is an orgasm?" Talia giggled. "The high point on sex." Her curiosity increased on that subject, which Talia obviously very much liked. They had lunch, then they took leave of each other. Cathandra was very satisfied about her second meet and rushed to the library. Hours later she went to the shower room, undressed and started based on the database with watching, examining and sweeping herself. The showers were empty, so nobody disturbed her. Later she redressed, she knew what she wanted now. And that was not - to wait. She looked for Justus, collared him and took him in your room. "What we do?", he asked with big eyes. Cathandra closed the door. "Undress." His eyes widened, he nodded mechanically. She again undressed and jogged him at her bed. Overwhelming emotions went through her, while she felt his warm body. Ten minutes later both breathed heavily. Cathandra's mouth and eyes were wide opened. "Holy moley!", slipped out of her mouth. "It was great", Justus confirmed. After he declined her ask for a second time, she chucked him out. 


	9. The ancient temple

Sunday was training day again. Seven o'clock was stand up, at eight the training begun - with Gondor.

"I was watching the most of you acolytes while the last weeks. Some of you handle the force already quite well. The rest … will not survive the fourth year. Today you shall experience, how you can handle the force yet better."

He walked around.

"The most of you had with safety an event, that somebody brought you in rage. Somebody offended, blackmailed you or worse. This one aroused your anger, he infuriated you, brought your hate so far, that you almost got insane."

Cathandra nodded faintly. The one, of whom Gondor talked, had at her six letters.

"I will show you, how you can bind your hatred at this one in a catalyzer. And if you work with this catalyzer, this will increase the efficiency of your force."

Cathandra was very excited, what Gondor are going to show them, although she had by her instinct some foreboding.

"If an enemy is in front of you, then imagine, that your old enemy resurrects. He laughs at you, mocks you."

He watched them all.

"And now you acolytes will proof, whether you understood my words."

He leaded them out of the room, to an area outside. There were a number of training dummies.

"On real enemies you can act later often enough. The meaning of this training is to understand the basic principle of the catalyzer. The first!"

Cathandra watched their training buddies, but nobody impressed her. Nobody bar Berus. Of course. His flashs even let the dummy explode.

Then it was her turn. Cathandra used the allegory of Forela the Hutt before her inner sight - she screamed in her wrath - and sent a huge force flash in the dummy - which exploded as well.

"Berus and Cathandra excellent", Gondor said bald.

The pure-blood and she nodded each other. Gladly she looked at what she had done.

The next mission day. Cathandra wanted to make one alone. She picked a mission, which took place in former ruins of an old Sith temple. She should find an old holocrone, which was believed to be lost.

The glider of the academy station brought her this time into the contrary direction to a twenty miles away point.

Based on her database she had to go through a cave, the entrance to that was on a rock in the near. The cave was supposed to lead to the temple. The database also told, that there were possibly traps around the temple.

With a smile she went to the entrance of the cave. She kept her head down and plunged into the darkness of the cave.

She focused the force at her head, so she could see without problems in the dark. She realized that she was in a side cave of a yet bigger one. Vermin as in the sewerage was not to expect. Or was it?

With no trouble she reached the main cave. The force whispered to her, before she heard the rustling. Bats!

"If you want trouble, then come", Cathandra said.

First the little animals barely realized of her. She listened with the force in single one of them and realized herself, that they were neutral.

After a while she sensed two recruits, which were highly thrilled. They fought with flashs and a sword. Cathandra approached to them in the darkness of the cave. She crossed her arms and watched them.

With every additional dead animal, which screamed in its death, came two or three further to them. She felt the increasing desperation of both of the recruits. They blamed each other for the situation.

Cathandra considered - should she let die them or even kill them by herself? In the academy was the killing of each other among recruits, as long as not ordered by the instructor, forbidden. She wondered, how they were dotty about attacking the bats. Two recruits against hundreds of bats?

The one recruit lost his focus and power and drawn by the combat screams of the animals ten further animals headed for the recruits and lashed into them. One would escape, stumbled and fell down. The animals bit both to death.

She waited until the animals got calm again and went to both bodies. This time there were no valuable things she could take.

Disappointed she rose and went back to the main cave. Carefully she went on. After half an hour she saw the exit. She waited until her eyes had accustomed again to the brightness and went outside.

The large temple area was surrounded by sand. Cathandra recollected on the mission briefing. Traps!

She closed her eyes and listened away with the force. The first traps were in the sand itself. Quicksand. The sand had a depth by 15 yards and contained already a number of bodies. Cathandra searched a way between the dangerous spots through and went on.

She came to a building, which she had seen from the exit of the cave. She ran her hand over the outer wall. A soft presence of dark energy went the building.

She focused on it and sucked it up. She went at the other side. The force told her that she wasn't alone. Two hundred yards away sat recruits hunkered in the sand and seemed to search. With the same reason as she was here? Because of the holocrone?

Cathandra decided to take the time and explore the dark temple. But this spot was not yet the proper temple. She had just reached a building outside of it. She detected a way, which seemed to lead from here to the area in front of her. But to where?

Again she listened for further traps. Sporadic were further spots with quicksand, which weren't dangerous to them which kept on the way.

Cathandra considered. If she searched with common ways for the holocrone, this could take time forever. So the simplest way was again the best. Presumably.

She sat cross-legged and plunged into the force. She let pulse her and told her what she was looking for. First she saw nothing, but when she plunged deeper in the force, she believed to detect two objects in the distance. The dark energy, both of them rayed out, she could see well in this status of meditation.

She considered. Two objects? The one of them was for sure the holocrone, but what was the other? Because it was placed close to her obviously, she decided to look after it first.

She rose and went slowly the way on. After a few yards it went down softly. There where she had believed to see the object, was an old, obviously long not more used cave entrance, which was blocked by a number of big stones.

Cathandra grinned and checked with the force this location. It was right. In approximate thirty yards distance was the object. Buried.

She massaged and kneaded her hands and got in force trance. She raised her right arm, which took the first stone and with few difficulty moved aside. The second. The third.

After she had moved the half of all stones aside, she listened surround. Nobody cared for her. For now.

She swept the rest of the stones out of the way and went slowly in the cave. Further stones had to go away. Finally she encountered a skeletonized corpse, which had a strange object in its hand. She took it. It was sphere-like, black-metallic and was suitable in her hand. She sensed a poor energy field.

"Thanks for keeping it."

She listened with the force in and found out how it was activated. She had no idea yet what it was but the force told her it was harmless. She activated it and did unwitting some steps aside. Suddenly a further recruit seemed to beside of her. She was going to square off. She looked more precisely and recognized - herself!

She understood. A holographic device! She smiled. What a find! She surrounded her holographic image and thought 'it' was good. "Justus is right. Pretty girl", she noted grinning.

Cathandra considered - if two yards from here was the image of her - was she herself hidden? She had to find out, although a lot spoke for it. She watched herself more precisely and detected a soft energetic pulsing, which was around her. That was the answer! She was covered. What a find, which opened a lot of amazing tactical possibilities to her! And she had found!

Very satisfied she decided to search the main artifact.

She deactivated the device and left the cave entrance. She went back to the way. Cathandra realized, that the former temple was more or less in front of her. The most walls were collapsed or broken. She could watch inside. Two acolytes examined the inner area.

Should they looking for the artifact at this place - that was in vain. She had detected it at another place. But because the temple was on her way - she could examine it. The soft, dark presence, which went from the whole area, increased softly. She enjoyed the feeling.

She went down and entered the temple through the broken wall. Had here in earlier ages taken place dark masses? Had even Marka Ragnos, Naga Sadow or Tulak Hord here meditated? Of the three of them she had read in the library. One day to become as much powerful as these dark Lords of the Sith had been … that was a far destiny of Cathandra.

She went slowly through the hall. Here and there were old Sith artifacts to see, which were mostly moldered into dust. Three not broken are left, so she could detect them as little statues. Her instinct told her that it wasn't necessary to touch them.


	10. The holocrone

Cathandra went four steps up and watched the old altar. The dark presence was here the strongest. She was curious and went directly in front of the altar.

She sat cross-legged and plunged into the force and into the dark energy of this altar. She believe to see other humans wraithlike, which perhaps had meditated here. For more the dark energy here wasn't strong enough.

Some disappointed she rose and shrugged her shoulders.

Cathandra turned around and left the inner area of the temple. Now she wanted the holocrone and she wouldn't leave without it.

She went the way on and reached shortly after a further cave entrance, in which three recruits showed off.

She looked in scornful faces of these acolytes.

Just wait, she thought. Cathandra entered the cave, the walls reached from the ground very high up. She listened with the force which told her that the holocrone was currently unreachable up at a rock overhang.

She went to a spot, from which she could see the artifact without the force. She plunged into her, raised her arm as much as possible to use the force - it wasn't enough.

She sweared. She repeated the try - with the same result.

Although patience was not her strong point she started searching for a possible path to climb. Sometimes she believed to have found a way, but in vain.

Her wrath rose.

"Tell me how to come to you!", she whooshed.

She took her enemy catalyzer and sent flashs up, which hit the artifact and poorly touched. It moved barely.

Her wrath increased further. She sent two additional flash waves, with the same bad success.

In anger she stroke against the wall and got a bit mud, which fluttered down to her. She cleaned with her hand the dust from her face.

Suddenly she looked at the other side. Was that the solution?

She went to the wall, braced her hands against and let with the force quake the side. She counted to thirty, made some steps back to look, whether this way worked. And it did! The holocrone had again moved and was a breath at the overhang.

Cathandra braced her left hand again against the wall and repeated. The right hand she raised up. She felt the artifact fall, took it with the force - and it was in her hand.

She smiled pleased. "Finally!"

The force suddenly warned her. Two acolytes appeared. Young warriors. They detected the holocrone in her hand.

Cathandra felt the power of the artifact. The dark energy, which went from, was almost extremely. It strengthened her force pulse.

"Unfortunately we cannot allow you to go back with that artifact. If you are so kind …", said one of them.

Cathandra enjoyed the force device in her hand. She wouldn't dream of losing it so soon.

"No, I am not kind", she said and increased her hate. "If you haven't realized, I am the inquisitor with the highest potential at the academy. You want to die quick or slowly?"

Both of them looked at each other and took their swords.

Though her instinct Cathandra pushed with the force both to her, whipped her sword out and rammed the other on his landing in his body.

The first where landed similar rude. The wall had stopped him, he fell at the ground. Cathandra paralyzed and killed him after that.

She went back to the second, which was in his dying breath.

"Be glad - it's a good death. Usually I burn my enemies."

A last time he opened his mouth, then his body went slack.

Cathandra looked at the found artifact. She completely disliked, that she had to deliver it. But had she really to?

If she told, she had been here, but found nothing?

But the dark presence of the holocrone was suspicious. Lords could sense it on their meditations and she was forced to deliver it and perhaps were punished.

No, she had to deliver, although it was difficult to her. In addition she scored with that a lot.

She left the cave and went back to the temple area.

Instead of hiding it, she showed it with satisfaction openly. But yet nobody looked at her. Easily she went the way back. Before the other cave she met those three, which she had met half an hour ago. Surprised they looked at the find in her hand.

"She has it!" - "She has the holocrone!"

One of the three of them was such careless and went into the quicksand-trap. The warning of the others was too late. He screamed.

The other both jumped at her direction - to nothing. She paralyzed them, deactivated her hologram-device and went beside them.

A small force pull and both fell in the trap. They seethed with anger. The third of them already bogged down. She showed the doomed recruits her find. "An holographic device. I found it here as well. Great thing, isn't?

The last, not yet sunken one raised in this death fight his hand - but his force wasn't enough. His hand disappeared.

Cathandra turned around. "Good thing - these traps. Although I couldn't find the others."

She entered in safety the bat cave and half an hour later the other side.

Back in the academy the superior was flabbergasted. "I … I have to go and to inform Lord Alderus. Excellent job, acolyte."

She nodded and looked weepy the device disappear.

Two hours later she was called to an district, in which she never was been before.

Cathandra quick realized, that her host was a Sith Lord.

She bowed. "You have called for me, my Lord?"

"To find that artifact, was an excellent job, acolyte. But assumedly the superior already told you that."

Cathandra nodded. "Yes, my Lord."

"I sense, the force is very strong with you. You have a vigorous presence. You belong to the group from which Lord Zelata one day will pick her scholar?"

She confirmed.

"Keep being diligent and willing to learn, as you are already now undoubted. Then you will become her scholar."

"Yes, my Lord", she said as emotionless as possible. She concealed her joy.

Cathandra didn't dare to listened in the Lord, but she felt his presence.

"Go now, acolyte."

Cathandra again bowed, then she left the room and went back to the accustomed area. For the rest of the day she thought of the holocrone. It woke up a force ability in her, for which one could become addicted.


	11. Private pleasures

Two months later Cathandra and Talia again were together in the bar. There was a little party to Cathandras seventeenth birthday. Further the first half year was over.

Cathandra told of her nooky with Justus, who belonged to the group of Talia's instructor-colleague.

"Have your fun with him, as long he is there, little sister. We instructors communicate infrequently, who in the groups presumably will be left at the end and with that to become a scholar of a Sith-Lord. His name isn't among them."

Cathandras eyes widened. Not, because Justus was weaker than her as expected. But because her sister had obviously insider information.

"And what tells Gondor?" Her look almost burned into Talia.

She blinked with one of her eyes. "Don't care too much over the state. If it would be different, I would have told you long since. If Gondor speaks of his group, he meanwhile tells your name and the one of a certain Berus."

Relieved and with new passion she got the news.

"Sister, I have yet a present for you. Let's call it … lesson."

Cathandra nodded.

"Remember one thing: The one, over which you have no power, has power over you."

She closed her eyes and thought about the sentence. Talia was right. The sentence said all.

"Yet the instructors have power over me. The most Sith Lords, the Sith Council and the Emperor. Nobody else."

Talia nodded. "Right. Look to it that nobody joins that list."

"I am the most powerful acolyte on the academy", Cathandra ruled. "That means, I have power over Berus, Justus and the rest of the recruits. As long as not all are gonna attack me at the same time."

Talia grinned. "Okay. Look to it that as much as possible joined that list."

Hours later they bowed out. 

At evening Talia had Gondor as guest, she sat topless on him, Gondor with his dick in her. Both were panting and pushed each other for highest passion and lust. After it they lay side by side silently, Gondor touched with his fingers softly her feminine curves.

"Remember on the 10 credits", she said.

Gondor nodded and transferred the sum. It was not the reward for the labor of love, but Talia had to go to the doctor after these events, to become not pregnant. Talia and Gondor shared the sum.

"And - anything new with your group?"

"Boredom", she replied. "Samson dominates everybody with his power and ability. If happens not some unexpected, he will become the scholar of Lord Weylan."

"In my feeling - my group also gets boring", he told. "Until recently Berus and Cathandra went head to head. But these female acolyte has since weeks such a eagerness and big hunger for knowledge …"

Talia kept a straight face. She rejoiced silently. Nobody knew that she and Cathandra were sisters. That shouldn't change.

"In addition she was the one who found the holocrone and brought back. Since hundreds of years it was lost and she found it", he said.

Talia nodded. "I have heard of it. Your female acolyte even had a short audience with Lord Alderus."

"Right", Gondor confirmed.

"I deem it right, that acolyte exists, which outstand as this. The weak ones are destroyed and the best strengthens the Sith", Talia said.

"As we two of us", he said. "You had become near the scholar of Lord Heron, but the Sith Council decided that you become instructor as the strongest juggernaut since decades."

Talia already knew this valution. Years ago she had an audience with Darth Mengaron. He promoted her as instructor for the Sith warriors.

Similar was happened to Gondor.

Talia already felt, that Cathandra one day would be yet stronger than him.

The force is strong with our family, she thought with satisfaction.

"Can you repeat?", she asked.

He grinned. "Of course."

His tongue was still hungry for her pussy.


	12. The seduction of the dark garden

Again was mission day. Cathandra hurried up early in the library and took for the umpteenth time to study. For missions she would get a new mix of theory and practice. After the lunch she sallied. She wanted at last back to the garden of darkness. The next visit was overdue long since. In addition she could get with that new powder and scoring. She was very attentive to not meet other recruits, because lately she got more and more inquiries to come with them.

The one or other recruit she needed to sway with force simpleness, so she called it. Gondor had told them, that this way just worked with mental weak ones. Okay …

Cathandra felt the big impatience. On this day the glider wasn't fast enough. Arrived at the destination station she ran, supported by her force, to the sewerage entrance and went down the ladder quick. She took the fastest way and handled only by the way some animals. This time there wasn't much. She reached the spot, where the acolyte had died. That was four month ago. His remains were eroded by bugs, worms and further vermin.

Scornful she looked at the body. "Vermin among themselves", she said low.

Now she saw to it that she was to go up the ladder quickly. She had a plan. Arrived above, she went ten yards and sat.

She breathed heavily and soaked up hungry the waves of darkness.

Similar nice as sex, she thought. The intensity of the dark streams this time was clearly safer. Either she had become stronger or it was another explanation.

She leaned back and on her hands. Breathing heavily she realized, that her force soaked up the arriving waves.

The find of the holocrone in time possibly has made something in her. Changed. Enhanced.

Like a drug addict, which took after long abstinence again drugs. Sort of it was so with her.

Again she moaned. Her full body blazed. Her head pulsed with an intense, that her visual perception almost freaked out.

She let herself fall forward.

"Shit … is … that … fucking … good …", slipped out of her mouth with some trouble.

A twitch went through her body. She turned aside and again belly-landed. With big joy she realized, that she had to approach to the center of the dark force because of the powder. She rose, spread her arms and slowly went on.

The intensity of the dark waves increased.

"More …", she gasped.

Glancing she noticed, that she passed the one bench, where in time she had seen the recruit with the dead eyes. His body lay, almost not touched by vermin, over the half bench.

Cathandra wondered, why the one person had a lower force ability and the other had a higher one.

Her heart still was racing. She turned silently the corner. The intensity of the dark side let her almost went insane. The force in her ranted and raved.

Later she reached the point, where the circumstances let her sink aground. She oscillated with her full body. Hey eyes watered. She felt, that she got until the spot without force protection. She fought with her curiosity to go on without protection, but the force blocked her legs. More was impossible. She activated the protection and felt, that the intensity decreased by three quarters. Some disappointed she went on.

She still enjoyed the rest of the dark energy, which she soaked up. At destination arrived she kneeled down and without bigger trouble she gathered the powder.

Cathandra rose, breathed deep and went back. At half of the way she deactivated the protection and paused. She opened wide her mouth to abandon preferably completely to the dark energy.

Later she forced herself to go back to the ladder. She climbed down and it almost seemed to enter a vacuum.

She shook freakish her head, to normalize her perception. It was strange - as would she sense ground, walls and ceiling at the same time. And the mud. Disgusted she shuddered. She even could sense here all live. Two little animals - distant from her - were there. Obviously the acolytes killed so many, that the population couldn't reproduce.

She went back to the other ladder and climbed up. Arrived there she met for the first time inquisitors as she was.

"Darius told, that there down are no animals currently", said the one soothing.

"The place is crawling with animals", she lied.

"Really?", said the other apprehensive.

"Of course."

"Darius told, that there down are almost no animals", the first said anxious.

"You have to decide, has is right. Me or Darius", she replied and added: "Cowards keep here up. All other go down, take an animal and roast it until it's brown. Well cooked they tastes the best."

The second looked at her, as if he had seen the devil.

"She is insane. We should go down quickly."

"Go ahead …", she snarled. "Before I make you get a move on."

And if the devil would be behind them, they climbed down.

Cathandra laughed.

She went back to the academy and came around. The mission assistant marveled.

"Acolyte Cathandra. Of course."


	13. Justus' death

A week later in the evening somebody knocked at her door. Justus was it.

"What you want?"

He slipped by. "The usual."

Cathandra decided to goad him. She crossed her arms.

"Another time."

"But I want you now."

She couldn't deny that the sex with him was very satisfying, but she needed to show him that she controlled.

"You want me now? But I don't. Another time." She put her hands on her waists.

"I know that you want me, Cathandra. You can't deny", he burned his look into her.

She watched him coolly.

"Well, we had our fun the few times. But now is the end. I think since weeks to pick another lover."

He seemed offended. Cathandra turned down.

"Do you believe I don't know what you hatch? You together with your sister?"

Like struck by lightning her movement stopped. Frostiness went into her look. She couldn't believe what he even had said.

"Yeah - I am up to date", he said and had a little sphere in his hand. "I was eavesdropping. Since weeks."

Her mouth went open. Her heart started racing. Raging anger rose in her. Would looks be able to kill, he would died on the spot.

"WHAT you said?!"

Dangerous shivers went through her, no, shocked her body.

Justus' face go etiolated.

Her wrath rose in heights, which she had experienced before only at Messata after getting notice of the disappearance of her mother. She felt such an aggressive hatred, that she lost almost the control over her force.

A step to him, another.

"What … no … shit … no …Cathandra … what … what's with you? You have to understand me … I am … crazy for you. We can … talk about … anything."

She sensed fear and panic rise in him.

Her face convulsed. The force glowed in her, as if she had to fight against hundreds of enemies at the same time and she had to battle for her existence.

"You dare to blackmail me, you worm?", she snarled with a strange changed voice, as if dozens of voices talked at the same time.

Cathandra sensed a kind of fear in Justus, which was very satisfying to her. He was in mortal fear.

"No … please … not …", he cried.

She final lost the control.

Force flashs scourged at his body, took him up, pulled through the entire room. Her flashs currently still pained him. She sensed that he had become unconscious.

The next flashs killed. Justus' body burned to ashes. Steam of evaporated water rose.

Cathandra breathed heavily.

It took some minutes, until she regained the control and mind. Emotionless she looked at Justus' remains. "Too pity, he was good in the bed."

She swept up the ashes and disposed.

Then - her head turned suddenly. She realized that she was in trouble. Killings of each other by acolytes inside of the academy without the permission of an instructor was strictly forbidden. She knew the punishment. "Oh shit …"

She considered what to do. There was only one way.

Cathandra left her room and rushed to the instructor apartments. Talia's one she knew long ago. She wanted to knock, but sensed, that her sister wasn't alone.

The door opened and Gondor went out. Cathandra rushed aside.

"What you want here, acolyte?"

An answer at this possible question she got underway.

"The instructor wanted to talk to me, Sir."

"That's okay, Gondor. She managed a task for me", said Talia.

"See you tomorrow, acolyte."

Cathandra entered in hurry. She waited, until the force told her, that Gondor was beyond hear range.

She went to the wall and activated Talia's jukebox.

"Even without the force I see you're completely confused, little sister."

Cathandra saw the worry in her sisters face. She was grateful.

"I'm in trouble", she whispered. "I killed Justus a moment ago. In my room."

For a moment it almost seemed that Talia would slap her. "What was the reason?"

Cathandra told hasty. Talia's eyes became slits. Following she felt the lips of her sister at her forehead.

"You did right all, Cathandra."

She felt a big relief. "And the best is that you came to me."

Cathandra nodded.

"You're right in the conjecture that you're in trouble. But we'll work that out. Let's go!"

Together they left Talia's apartment. They went through some hallways and turned to the lift. On the way down Talia looked at her.

"Shortly before you came to me, Gondor said, he sensed an quake in force. You was that?"

Cathandra shrugged her shoulders. "I lost completely the control. He made me such in rage … he had not a chance."

Talia smiled. "He was chained on you. Even if the victory was easy - you broke the chains. The force has set you free."

Cathandra smiled. "Yeah, I agree."

Both avoided to speak out Justus' name. The lift door opened. They went out and took a further long hallway. An instructor-colleague of Talia approached.

"Aside, acolyte", Talia said loud. Cathandra rushed to the wall.

"Hi Talia", her sisters colleague said.

"Hi Roston."

They waited until he disappeared.

She looked at her sister asking.

"He is the instructor for marauders", was the answer.

She reached the end of the hallway. Talia raised her hand at a scanner. The door opened.

A superior rose.

"What does that mean?"

Cathandra's hand moved. "_You do not see an acolyte. You have to do some more important._"

Two seconds the superior looked at her.

"I do not see an acolyte. And I have to do more important things", he said evenly.

After he left Talia took her hand before her mouth to not laugh.

"You're incredible, sister! Let's go!"

Now they only went ten yards and entered a room with much electronics.

"Talia", an assistant said, "what a seldom vis…"

Puzzled he looked at Cathandra.

Again her hand moved. "_Here are no acolytes. All is fine._"

"Oh … here are no acolytes. All is fine."

Talia did not lose time and opened the console of the security area. She wasn't quite good at this point, but the system was well structured. After a minute she found the observation videos of the day. Together they watched Justus' death. Not only Talia, also Cathandra's mouth was wide open.

Indeed glowed from her eyes, ears and mouth force billows with such an intensity, that she lighted the room.

Talia looked with still opened mouth to her and back to the video. "Holy moley!" She shook her head. "Too pity, that we have to delete it. But your mastery of the force is … outstanding!"

She deleted the video. "Wait", she said and paused. "Deleting a certain video, can be apparent. Better we delete the most of the observation videos of today. Some kind of accident is happened and - hey presto - it's gone."

Cathandra watched her sister. "Thanks. I owe you some."

Talia closed the console. She watched Cathandra.

"As long as you keep our agreement, Cathandra, all is fine. You're the best scholar of Gondor and I am proud of you. This I liked to do for you. And by the way - what I saw here, I'll not forget. You make our family proud! Keep it up!"

Cathandra beamed and Talia smiled.

The left the observation room, went the way back and entered the lift.

"And - yet an idea, who becomes your next lover?"

Cathandra massaged her neck.

"There are three potential candidates. One of them is I believe in your group, the two of the others in the one of this Roston."


	14. The attempt

The second half year went similar to the first - study in the library, training with Gondor and missions. Friday was meanwhile the first day, that she went to the garden of darkness to meditate there. Scornful she knew that many of the acolytes didn't dare to go there. And every time she selected the place of her meditation closer to the powder spot. And she stayed there longer.

The first month of the second year began. One Sunday she got the message, that Gondor wanted to talk to her. Surprisingly he passed her way - and didn't know about that.

"I cannot help you, acolyte."

"Then I have to figure out, what you do want from me, there where I was told you would be", she grinned. More obviously a trap couldn't be.

Gondor nodded. "Have fun."

Cathandra massaged her hands and went to the place, where she actually should meet him. It was one of the few not observed areas of the academy.

She listened with the force in it and detected five acolytes, which obviously waited for her.

She activated the trap and went in.

"If you search Gondor, recruit, he couldn't come …", one of them said.

Cathandra sensed that they were future warriors.

"He said, you wouldn't be worth the academy", another said.

Cathandra applauded amused. "Strange, when I met him minutes ago he wished me fun on my date with you."

"Damn!", slapped out of another acolytes mouth. "Hadn't you tell this cannot happen, Mehodan?"

"Gondor seems to have changed his plan. But nonetheless you now die, Cathandra."

Meanwhile Cathandra had started to focus her wrath.

"I will tell Berus, that you all liked my perfomance of the force thus much, that you rejoiced to the death."

Her level of wrath was yet very high. The recruits deployed themselves around her.

The symbolic image for her wrath this time was Berus himself, one day she would kill him anyway. So she could use this fight as training.

Cathandra activated her holographic device and went two steps aside. The acolytes jumped, as warriors could do it, at her ostensible spot. Although the force made her movement so, that no blade touched her. The two acolytes damaged with the jumps themselves intensely. Cathandra unfolded her force and let explode her. The acolytes were catapulted against the wall. The both already injured didn't survive. The other three of them gasped and almost couldn't move.

"Perhaps you should have inform yourself, against whom you fight. That would have spare you this."

She took her sword and decapitated the yet living recruits.

After that she used her flashs to cremate the remains. The ashes she scattered on the ground.

The other dead recruits had big thrust injuries. With that a possible suspicion would hardly came at a inquisitor. She examined the victims, took their things, if they existed, also their credits.

On the next morning she went while the training aside Berus.

"It was sweet of you to send the five", she whispered. "The next time you send a few against me, tell them, the free lessons are past. From now I want fifty credits per person."

She sensed surprise in Berus.

"I see. But because anyhow only one will survive, it doesn't matter."

"Of course not."

Because they were in the second year, new things were scheduled. The most import to Cathandra were dark arts and dark forces. From the beginning number of 10 acolytes were only six left.

"All what you've learned in the last twelve months, was for direct combat. From now you'll learn additionally, how you can scrunch your enemy with your thoughts. Make him get insane, confuse him, pain him with your thoughts. But all these things you can only do, if they're already a part of you. To make somebody while the combat insane, you have to be in a kind insane yourself. From nothing comes nothing."

He slapped in his hands.

A man was brought in. His hands were chained, his mouth stopped up.

"A man who did high treason. A nice test object."

Gondor explained, how to use these dark arts.

Cathandras eyes shined. Although in theory she already knew the abilities from the library, she soaked up every of his words. Following he performed.

The chained man screamed, squalled, shouted despite of his stopped up mouths his head off. Madly he struggled, tried to free his hands, but no success. The try let blood his hands. He rolled his eyes and swooned.

"He should wake up soon. Who's next?"

Although Cathandra assumed the fun, she yielded to her buddies. On performances by her she needed meanwhile to restrain herself to show not, especially Berus, her full power.


	15. Lord Zelata

It was the year of dark forces. She learned to handle better her powers, first of all faster.

One day, few weeks before her eighteenth birthday she sensed on her way to the training a huge presence of the force. She went on and directly before the training room she met a woman in a chic robe.

The woman watched her. "I even thought that this pure-blood, Berus, has the abilities to become my future scholar. But if I look at you … the force is incredibly strong with you. Something like that I didn't experience a very long time. But where are my manners? I am Lord Zelata. From your group I'll pick my new apprentice."

Cathandra bowed with a racing heart. Her future master.

"I am honored to meet you, my Lord."

She dared to smile.

"Of course you are."

Lord Zelata touched by her hand Cathandras chin and her cheek. Cathandra closed longingly her eyes. The dark presence of Lord Zelata was similar beautiful as the one of the dark garden, but different.

"Continue to be avid and survive, recruit."

Cathandra opened her eyes. Lord Zelata left.

"I will, my Lord."

In the fourth half year she learned new further abilities. The most import to her was the swirl. His use had a tactical nature, because enemies could with that take out of the combat long enough.

A problem that appeared to her was – she had read through the full library. Now she could use more time for meditation and missions. Her favorite one was – get powder from the dark garden, where she went twice the week. The number of recruits in her group decreased to five.

While a mission, which led her exceptionally not to the garden, she explored the third time the temple area, where she had found the holocrone.

She lingered over the exploration and kept a close eye on every little corner. After hours she turned back and went to the bat cave entrance.

The force suddenly warned her. Cathandra listened into the environment and sensed a mass of 18, 20, 22, no – 25 recruits, which had only one intention – her death!

_Oh Berus. You never give up?_ But she had to admit, that twenty five recruits against her alone was intense. She searched a free spot and sat cross-legged.

She focused her wrath and sensed the acolytes approach.

"There! There she is!", she heard several voices.

The recruits surrounded her.

Cathandra rose.

"Shit … who does she look like?", an acolyte asked aghast.

The force glowed in her. It seemed to be visible to others.

"What Berus promised to you this time? Did he tell you that I take for new lessons fifty credits per person?", she said with crossed arms.

"Fifty credits? No – Berus told that the one, who kills you, gets eight thousand credits."

Cathandra was flabbergasted.

"Eight thousand? Damn – where he has so much cash? Never mind – I get now 50 credits by everyone or you'll regret. Despite, as soon as you're dead, I take your credits anyway …"

Already she had detected the weak point in Berus' plan. The recruits approached her. She focused on her force and opened her eyes.

_"Cathandra is already dead. The one beside of you killed her. Who now gets the eight thousand?"_

She moved her hand.

One moment nothing happened. A further one too. Then suddenly the first drew his sword and ran it into the next one beside of him. And another. A third. A fourth. The recruits slaughters themselves.

Cathandra crossed her arms and watched the killing. _Weak minds_, she thought. At least the greed still lives among them.

After a minute it was all over. Two were left. Cathandra sent her flashs and grinded them into ashes. A further recruit ran to her, but intimated that he wanted no fight. Stunned he looked at the remains.

Cathandra meanwhile took all valuable things and the credits at her account. She got more than 50 credits per person. Her plunder came to seven thousand.

"My instructor was right. Had I been here, I would be dead too."

"Who is your instructor?"

"Talia."

Cathandra grinned. "I see. What she told you?"

"Berus came to me, where I want to earn eight thousand credits, if I kill you. I mentioned it per accident to instructor Talia."

"Yes, the thing with the eight thousand I already know. What's your name?"

"Samson."

"The instructor knows assumingly that you're the best warrior in your group. You shall become the future apprentice of a Sith Lord."

"I hope so. Anyhow I mentioned the task and she just said, if I would do it, I would go to death and she would advice against this. At least I thought about long enough to come too late. Too late to die. And you fought alone against them all?"

Cathandra grinned. "Yeah, I did."

"Incredible", he marveled.

"And you – you don't really want your bounty?", she asked.

Samson laughed powerless. "Look – who survives against 25 attackers … I mean, I am really good I think, but this would be insane."

"Let's go back", she suggested.

She was gonna go on, but stopped and looked at the one dead recruit.

"Oh. Trent."

"You know him?"

"He was in my group. With that were four yet."

"We're five. Yet."

Samson is well bodied, she thought. And he looks similar good as Justus did.

An hour later she were back in the academy.


	16. Only one survives

Cathandra went to visit Berus. He was per exception in his quarter, opened the door.

Aghast he looked at her. He swore.

"We need to talk."

She entered. "The first time five, now 25, Berus. What's next? The whole academy? But I have to thank. Also that you promised to them eight thousand, my plunder is almost the same sum. "

Berus was too confused to answer. He sat. "My father and my mother expect, that I complete successfully the academy and become the apprentice of Lord Zelata."

Cathandra nodded. Something like that she had expected. "I see. But you oversee a point. If you would have had success today and Lord Zelata would question you how you killed me, you have to tell the truth. The whole academy know about the bounty on me. On success you would be a dishonorable killer. And Lord Zelata would reject or kill you."

He shook his head. "That's meanwhile almost immaterial. There is not a second place. Because it means the death. On the very first day I still thought to be the best. But since months I know that your ability of the force beats hollow the mine."

She nodded. His statement was right. "Or you accede to Gondor's job. But for that you needed to defeat him."

"I wouldn't be able to today", he replied. "Perhaps after four years – I don't know."

"It looks like as it implies on a duel between you and me", she assumed.

Berus looked at her. "Yeah, it looks like."

Cathandra looked around. "Every quarter is observed. So it happens not here and not today."

Berus rose. "As a suggestion, Cathandra. Everybody of both of us creates a plan how to defeat the other. And when the time is up we'll look, which of our plans is the better one."

She nodded. That sounded rational. She opened the door.

"See you."

Months went by and two weeks after Cathandra's nineteenth birthday only Berus and she were left. Cathandra had spent no time for planning to defeat Berus. She had her force and this was enough.

On a Wednesday was again mission day. Cathandra suggested to Berus to make a mission. He could pick one where to go. He was surprised and picked one, which led to an area where Cathandra hadn't been for a long time.

The area were similar to the garden, but contained no dark energy. Here grew seldom fruits, which the most persons at the academy liked. They drifted through the garden and lingered over. Despite Cathandra sensed that Berus was nervous.

She assumed, that his plan took place somewhere here.

"Let us pick some of the fruits", he suggested. She agreed. They picked some and ate some.

"Tell me – am I wrong or do I feel here some kind of dark energy? Eight month ago I was the last time here and these dark presence wasn't there yet."

Berus nodded. "Could be, that here are some new plants. These could be responsible."

"Come on – we look", she said and chewed on a fruit.

They went in another direction and arrived on a grove. Cathandra noticed, that Berus was some yards behind her. She further approached to the grove. Or call it plant or small tree?

She sensed frostiness in Berus. The grove moved and vines wiggled in her direction and entangled her arms and legs. She sensed force work in Berus.

"Wooooooooh!", slipped out of her mouth. She were kept by the vines and rose. They turned her around and tugged on her extremities. Cathandra focused calmly her force.

"I hadn't expect that you make it so easy for me, Cathandra", he explained. "I planted this grove … seven month ago."

She nodded. "I know."

The vines continued to tug her arms and legs. Cathandra unchained her force, as far as the grove couldn't harm her.

"You know? Why …"

"Why I activated voluntary your trap, Berus? Where I come from, is said 'The biter will be bitten'."

He shrugged his shoulders. "But you're now in my trap, Cathandra. The vines are full with darkness which will end deadly, as soon as it touches living tissue. Your body will decay after a few minutes. And if not, the tree will rip you to pieces."

She shook her head. She felt almost mercy. But even almost.

"Tell me, Berus – how often was you in the garden of darkness?"

"Twice. While the second time seven month ago I unearthed the grove and took it to here."

"You wanna know, how often I was there? More than hundred times. I stopped counting."

Berus' eyes widened. "You lie."

"Oh stop it! Look in me and you'll realize. Two and a half year ago I started meditating there. I was and am still addicted to the darkness there. I have been there so often, I could on the spot where the powder is, spend a full night, because the darkness no longer can harm me. It took completely possession of me. I love it and can and will without the dark energy not live longer."

Now she used her force and unloosened the vines. She took with her mind Berus' body and rose him. He defended himself vigorously, but his force wasn't enough.

She hovered down and spread out her arms. She took with the force the vines and let tug his body.

"Oh my god", slipped out of his mouth. Cathandra seemed to be optical a beacon fire of dark energy.

"Now you know, what I meant with the quote."

She felt his wrath, his face was ghastly.

After a minute his resistance was gone. As weak as a kitten he hung in the stranglehold of the vines, which made with his body the same he had spoke of minutes ago.

"You was one and half a year a worthy adversary, Berus", she said.

His body started to puff. The dark energy of the grove destroyed his body.

"Cathandra … will you … promise … that you … become … a Lord of … the Sith? As … much and … powerful … as Naga Sadow or … Marka Ragnos … were?"

She smiled. "That is my faith, Berus."

He nodded by terrible pain. It was his end.

"Then … I … die … with … know… ing… that … I … lost … ag… ainst … one … of … the … be… st … ad… ver…sa… ri… es…"

His head slumped down. Berus was dead.

Out of respect Cathandra kept there yet an hour. Later the vines has done her work. Berus' remains fell down.

With the force she took three cubic yards up, pushed the remains in it and let the earth down again.

She took the picked fruits and went thoughtful back to the academy. How it should continue? She was now at the end of the third year. Had she to stay here at the academy for another full year? Or was it the case, that Lord Zelata took her earlier?

As soon as the glider reached the academy station, she sensed the presence of Lord Zelata. She was there!

Cathandra delivered the fruits and scored again. With pounding heart she went to Gondors office. He was absent. A droid told her to go to the apartment of Lord Zelata. Cathandra smiled. These news seemed to be good.

She went the hallway back, took the lift, this time in the other direction and went to the door, which was open.

"Come in, apprentice!", she heard her voice.

Cathandra heard Gondors' voice as well. She entered Zelatas freely furnished apartment.

"Scholar", said Gondor robust. "Bow before Darth Zelata."

Cathandra's eyes widened. She fell on her knee and lowered her head. Zelata was rose to a Darth!

"Rise!", Zelata said friendly. She had styled her full dark hair very nice.

"Sir", Cathandra started, "my Lord, I wanted to tell you, that …"

"… nobody than you survived in your group?", smiled Zelata. "Yes, I know. Gondor and I earlier sensed a quake in the force. Will you tell me?"

She reported quickly.

"What do I do now?"

"I know, that you did not end the academy because of the time", she said. "So tell me, apprentice …"

Zelata started questioning. The most of them Cathandra could answer because of her study of the library.

Half an hour later it ended.

"How is your analyze?", Gondor asked.

"Your scholar reached with three years for what other need four. It would be a waste to let her be here another year."

"And I cannot tell her much more. She is the best scholar I ever had. My congratulations!"

Zelata smiled. "Congratulations by me too, Cathandra. As of now you are the apprentice of Darth Zelata."

Cathandra closed overwhelmed her eyes. She did it! She hardly was able to conceal her joy.

Zelata grinned. "I see your gladness. You've every reason. Enjoy!"

She turned to Gondor. "Although that it was the gifted scholar, you did your job very well, Gondor. As of now I promote you to the chief instructor."

Gondor rose and bowed. "Thank you, my Lord!"

"Dismissed."

Again he bowed and left the room.

"And you now want your lightsaber, apprentice?"

She nodded. "Yes, master. But I don't know, whether I have to create myself one or …"

"… or whether your master perhaps has one for you", Zelata ended her sentence. She went around her desk and opened a drawer. Cathandra felt the presence of the lightsaber. Zelata threw it to her.

Cathandra quick found the release switch and activated. With opened mouth she rejoiced and marveled at the red blade, which purred softly. She made a step back, plunged into the force and made some simple movements.

"That's some different than a training sword, isn't?"

Cathandra nodded. "Definitely."

"I am glad that you like it. Your old you give back in the armory."

"Yes, master."

"Well, apprentice", she said and sat on her desk. "You are what you are and Korriban well hardened you. But you can only make progress, if you travel through the galaxy and learn. You start by going to meet the heart of the Empire. You'll take the next ferry to the Imperial fleet and then continue to Dromund Kaas. As soon as you arrive, you report to me. We have to do a lot."

With that Cathandra was aware that she had not only to leave Korriban, but also Talia. Her heart sank.

"Is something wrong, apprentice?"

She shook her head. "Sorry. No, master."

Zelata nodded. "Very well, pack up."

Cathandra bowed and was gonna leave the room.

"Yet a moment, apprentice. As soon as you arrive Dromund Kaas, I'll have a surprise for you. I am sure, you'll very glad."

Cathandra went back to her room and packed her things. Her old sword she already had delivered. Now she had to … take leave of Talia.

She went to Talia's apartment, which was closed. She listened with the force, but couldn't find her. Sadly she left the academy. Now nothing held her back. Underway she paused and looked back. Part one of her own vow she had accomplished. She was the strongest and had survived.

She approached to the transport, which was waiting for her. Ten yards before it the force let drew her lightsaber. Before she realized, what was happening, she blocked a tough laser fire, which else had reached her head.

The force showed her the shooter. He lay beside a building. Again the force let block her another laser fire.

Cathandra's wrath exploded. She routed the force in her legs and was two moments later at the shooter. She paralyzed him.

"WHO sent you?", she snarled. He keep silently.

Cathandra used all her power, looked into him and saw a holographic talk with a man, she never had seen before. It was enough.

She threw the man at the ground, who again tried to shoot her. She let his weapon push in her hand. She picked the man, pulled him as high as she could and let him fell to death.


	17. Dromund Kaas

She went to the transport and embarked finally.

_Farewell Korriban_, Cathandra thought. The transport closed the door and took off.

Cathandra closed her eyes and looked forward for Dromund Kaas and her new master. Only that she couldn't say goodbye to Talia made her sad. But the force calmed her on this point surprisingly.

Five days later she landed with another transport at Dromund Kaas. The heart of the Empire. The planet had a very unique, but still pleasing presence.

Cathandra yet again touched her new lightsaber. The feeling was so good …

She left the transport and went with the other passengers to check-in.

Her master had her arrival already prepared. The check-in was without any trouble. And – curiously enough she sensed a strange familiarity. But she couldn't tell, where that familiar feeling came from.

Cathandra went to the lift and down to the controller level. She went through several passages, the she was on the exit. Different to Korriban Dromund Kaas had a much more intensive flora. Trees reached to the sky and the air was some more wet.

Cathandr reached the glider and took the route to Kaas City. There her master had her office with other Sith Lords. She had heard, that even the emperor should be somewhere here. She closed her eyes and listened to the feeling, that the force told her.

The area she could admire another time. The glider flew through a big forest, she could detect a number of animals.

After about fifty miles she landed at a further bigger place. She looked at her map, which helped her. Suddenly she felt the force so intense, that she marveled with a shake of her head.

"Crazy", slipped out of her mouth. The force feeling seemed to come from the Sith Lords and Darths. And – the strange familiarity increased as well. Were here further Sith sisters, she not yet knew?

After two miles she reached the next glider station. From here she could finally flew to the Sith area.

The force presence further increased. A superb construction appeared from the distance. Cathandra knew that she reached her destination. She dismounted of the glider and entered the building. On feeling so much presence of the force she had almost trouble to detect her master.

She went through some hallways and came to the last lift. Her master had her office in the ninth level. She left the lift, sidestepped some and was finally in front of the office of Darth Zelata.

"Come in, apprentice", she heard the friendly voice of her master.

She entered the office and recognized Zelata at a bookshelf.

"Welcome. I already sensed you since your arrival. You're such strong in the force, that at that distance it is not a problem", said Zelata.

"Thank you, master."

Zelata took an obviously prepared menu, on which were food and drinks.

"You're for sure hungry and thirsty. Grab and take a sit."

Cathandra did as Zelata said and ate hungry.

"Your apartment is also prepared. On that later more."

"Do you know, that there is a huge presence of force that comes from that building? It's fascinating", she said."

Zelata smiled and watched her eat and drink.

"That's the way it should be. The most of us have their office here."

Zelata put her feet up and tossed one down.

"Well, apprentice, tomorrow you go to the store and robe yourself befitting your new rank. Your equipment of Korriban you dispose of. The apprentice of Darth Zelata will robe himself as is right and proper for one."

Cathandra grinned. "I'll be glad."

Sadly she again thought of Talia. Where she was now?

"Does something bother you, apprentice?" She had a strange smile on her lips.

"I …", she wanted to answer, but broke down in her words. Her feelings overwhelmed her.

"Shall we bet, that I know, what you think about?"

Perplexed she looked at Zelata. "With all due respect, but I cannot imagine that."

Zelata was in control of herself exemplary, but she concealed something, as Cathandra sensed.

"Talia …"

Cathandra's eyes widened. "You know about that?"

Zelata laughed bell-like. "Apprentice, I am a Darth. Of course I know. Since the moment, when it was clear, that you become my scholar – that one moment, when we met first – I made an inquiry about you. That you meet or met every week with the female instructor. Then I saw your names and knew."

"I not even could take leave from her at Korriban."

Zelata nodded. "I afraid, that's my fault."

Cathandra looked surprisingly on her. "How do you mean?"

Zelata turned her head. "You can come in."

There she was again – the familiarity. But because she didn't bargain on that, she didn't put one and one together. Stunned she looked at the guest.

With iron will she fought against her tears, than she embraced profound her sister. They kissed on both cheeks. Talia fought with her feelings as well.

"Apprentice", she heard Zelatas voice. In confusion by joy she turned to her master.

"For the lesson of this evening keep in your mind – tears of joy are fine. Feelings are a part of us. No matter if hate or love."

Cathandra nodded and vent relieved her emotions. Tears of joy ran over her cheeks. Talia controlled herself better only a bit.

"Then now anything is fine, apprentice?"

Cathandra nodded vehement. "Was this the surprise, you had talked about, master?"

"Exactly! And – I am glad that I hit the mark."

Talia kissed Cathandra at her cheek. "You did it, little sister! I am so proud of you!"

"You can be, Lord Fordalion."

Surprised Cathandra looked between her sister and Zelata.

"Lord?"

"Tell your sister."

Talia's eyes became slits. "She promoted me to a Sith Lord."

Cathandra beamed and again embraced her. "You deserved so much!"

"Ladies!", said Zelata and pointed to the seating area, on that Cathandra moments before had eaten. Talia grabbed as well.

"For the two of you tomorrow starts the serious side of life. I already told Cathandra that she invests tomorrow new. You can do the same, Talia. Following I have a first … mission. The briefing for it I make tomorrow. Cathandra you're from now a Sith. The Sith act in most cases in sets of two. A master and an apprentice. To be sure I am the master and you're in the beginning. Although it was and is my opinion, that even that you're very strong alone, together you're undefeatable.

I support a lot, in return I claim not less than top performances. A possible failure I do not accept, but means the death. But I am very sure, that the two of you deliver perfect work."

"We manage that", Cathandra and Talia said with one mouth.

"I know. I was aware of the fact that if I let you work together, I get the best results."

Cathandra beamed. Now the last events at Korriban made a sense. She reported.

"You said you could see a holographic talk? Describe the man!", Zelata burned her look in her.

"He wasn't well identifiable. But the man had a notable scar on his cheek."

Cathandra pointed at her right cheek and went her finger from op to down. She sensed a huge rise of wrath in her master.

"Congratulations. So you already met one of our deadliest enemies. Darth Domecus. I killed years ago two of his best scholars. They should sabotage my business."

"I've heard of him", Talia said. "Isn't he the servant of Darth Oregon of the Sith Council?"

Zeleta nodded. "You're informed well, Talia. I am glad, that my followers are such curious and hungry for knowledge."

"That runs in the family", Cathandra meant and Talia laughed and nodded.

Zelata grinned. "Now tell me, Cathandra, why you wanted to become a sith?"

Cathandra reasoned. "Because … I learned very early, that weakness is deadly. Only if you're the best and strongest, if you triumph over the rest, you survive. This lesson I realized in the mines of Messata. And I … discovered the force in myself. She told me, to what I am able to do. She is expedient. And at Korriban was this garden. I don't know why, but I proper fell in love with the darkness of this place. I soaked up like one drowning, who gets in the very last moment at the water surface and gasps for breathe. And this combined – the doctrine of the lessons of all these years, the aging of the force in me and the longing for the darkness – are my reasons, master. I love the force, I love the dark side, I love Talia and I love you for I can be your apprentice. And one day I want to become the strongest Sith which ever has existed. And I will do anything to succeed in this destiny."

Zelata smiled. "I knew that I picked the right scholar. The longing and the pursuing for the absolutes. These are virtues, a Sith exists for. And obviously you represent all of them. I liked your words much. And your sister did assumedly as well."

Talia nodded. "I did. And I am very glad to accompany my sister."

"Apprentice – you mentioned this garden. I dimly remember on it. Tell me!"

Zelata ordered a new round, which though had all almost no alcohol. At Dromund Kaas to be out of one's senses could end deadly. For a Darth as well.


	18. The first task

On next morning after breakfast they got in touch with Zelata, to leave following the building in the direction of the main storage.

They took a glider, which went directly there.

"It's the first time that I am here", Cathandra admitted.

"Never mind, little sister, me too."

They entered, looked for their section – wardrobe. At least Talia were quick recognized as a Sith, they could pass fast. Cathandra had received a kind of sign from Zelata, to get a robe priceless. Her eyes shined, when the assistant brought the new robe. With the force she distracted him to put on. Stunning and with big joy she watched herself. It was a fine, elegant sewing pattern, which was separated in red-like, blue and purple colors over the full robe. Hand shoes, new boots, a little belt and arm sleeves she received as well. She putted her lightsaber on the new belt.

Talia some steps beside of her groaned.

"One thousand credits too less. Damn – I want new armor and now I have one thousand too less!"

"Wait", Cathandra said and opened her account. She transferred the missing sum to Talia.

Talia smiled. "Thank you, Cathandra. That is very kind. And by the way – you look damn sassy."

Cathandra smiled proudly.

Talia now took the new armor and put on. Curious Cathandra looked at some metal-like rounded pieced, which were a part of the armor.

"What is that?", she asked stunned.

"That pieces? You don't know that? That are sword blocker. In vernacular called ALA – with that anti-lightsaber-armor. That mineral is one of the most wanted in the galaxy. Otherwise it wouldn't be a problem, to strike down an enemy force worker with one time and he is over."

Cathandra nodded. That sounded plausible. She looked down at her own robe. "It doesn't seem to be in that here."

Talia grinned. "It is, little sister. Every Sith clothes has blocker. In your robe is the part only at eight percent. On my it is eighty and moderately heavy has fifty."

"By the way – that with the credits I owed to you. You teached me so much at the academy."

Talia smiled and kissed her at the forehead. She picked a dark cowl out of a shelf and put it on Cathandra. "Now you look properly shadowy."

Cathandra smiled.

"Let's return to Darth Zelata."

Barely an hour later they entered Zelata's office. Their master was in a holographic talk. They would already exit, but Zelata waved them to her.

"Come in. My master – I'd like to introduce my new apprentices – Lord Talia Fordalion and her sister Cathandra."

Both approached to Zelata, went on their knees and lowered their heads for obeisance.

"Welcome, followers. I am Darth Mengaron, the master of your master. I am a part and member of the Sith Council. I see the both of you know respect. So rise."

Both followed.

"Your name is known to me, Lord Fordalion. Do we already had the pleasure?"

"My Lord, years ago you promoted me as instructor for Korriban", Talia replied.

He nodded. "Yes, now I remember. You was in time already one of the strongest warriors, what did obviously not change until today. Now your sister. I admit, your dark presence I can feel here. Obviously the force is strong with your family. Darth Zelata did pick her followers wise and smart. And she has several tasks for you, which no longer can wait. Zelata."

He disappeared. Zelata shook her fists. "Well done! As I see you now look as full Siths. Above all you, apprentice."

Cathandra smiled and nodded.

"I have a first mission for the two of you."

She opened a digital map.

"We're located here in Kaas City. There in the east is the space port. There down, hundred and twenty miles away are mines, in which work thousands of slaves. There are three separated stations. You'll go to the middle one."

Zelata went around with on her back crossed hands.

"The middle mine is ours, in fact, Darth Mengarons. The problem is, that the minerals, which are mined there, leave changed the mine for the transport."

"Changed?", Talia listened to.

"Yes. Change in the sense, that they cannot fulfill their proper purpose. They're almost worthless."

"That sounds for sabotage, master", Cathandra assumed.

Zelata nodded. "I think so too. Unfortunately we hadn't until now the resources to care for it. And Mengaron's patience is at the end."

"We'll handle that", Talia said. "We uncover the backgrounds and punish the guilty parties."

"Agree", Cathandra followed.

Zelata nodded. "Exactly. With the punishment we have to be tougher as usual. We have to make an example. We cannot kill all of the slaves, else nobody can mine those minerals. But a quarter to a third we can spare always."

Cathandra's thoughts were quick. She thought for herself.

"Master – if there is so much trouble with the slaves – why we don't use mining droids?"

A passing smile was to see at Zelata's face.

"Because droids are expensive to buy and in repair. Otherwise you would be right, apprentice."

"Okay", Cathandra replied, "let us unrecognized assail somewhere a republic droid factory and appropriate a number of thousand units."

Talia grinned.

"Apprentice – when I look at you, you remember me strongly on myself, when I was at your age. So much crazy ideas. But now there you're available, we should soon act for it. Having said this we need to plan this maneuver adequate long. Today you go to that mine and care for the trouble. Further questions?"

"Yes, master. Still one", Cathandra said. "What was the cruelest what you ever have done?"

Zelata crossed her arms. "The cruelest? Let me recall."

She made some steps. "I think it was an slave uprising. Eight or ten years ago. A big mine. I let five hundred slaves decapitate, further five hundred divide into four parts and yet again five hundred draw."

Cathandra marveled.

"I am sure, that had its effect", Talia said. "Let's go, little sister."

"Of course it had its effect", Zelata said in the end.

Both of them used a glider, they needed to switch the gliders three times, until they arrived after one and half an hour. Evil memories came up in Cathandra. She decided to take drastic measures.

With their new Sith badges they could pass quick. Talia let come the main superior rapidly.

"So finally one cares for the problem. I for long wait for the agent to care for the deficiency", he said.

Talia's eyes flashed. "Do you know, what makes me sick? For month the existence of the problems is known and you're unable to care for them. Darth Mengaron of the Sith Council is very indignant about your inability."

"I assure you, that our resources are thus limited that we couldn't do more."

Cathandra sensed that Talias force rose. Her hand raised. She cut the superior the breathe. He was raised and gasped out.

After a some moments she let free him almost deadly. She drew her lightsaber and cut him through.

"You're removed from your office."


	19. The SIS - the first contact

Cathandra smiled.

"Who's the deputy?", Talia harked.

"That's me", an some older man beside of them said.

"Congratulations for the advancement", Talia said cool. "Should one day the problems happen again, you'll expect the same."

He nodded. "Yes. I'll do my job better."

"I hope for you. Do not disappoint us again as he did."

"I think you want now to the processing section."

"Indeed", Cathandra confirmed, she had just watched. They left the room and took the lift some levels down.

The lift door opened and a smell of chemistry went to them. With bright eyes Cathandra watched the workers. All were slaves. Curious she looked at the unwrought minerals. An unknown one.

She listened with the force around and went to the one slave which heart ran the fastest.

Talia meanwhile let open all boxes.

"Slave", Cathnadra said, "tell me about your work in details. If you lie, I'll realize."

He nodded vehement. He took her around and explained.

"So here are processed the raw minerals. With what?"

He showed her a special laser.

"Show me."

"I take one, use the laser and remove the impurities."

He did as he has spoken and put the processed mineral in the box."

"So you're finished with that, slave?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Cathandra took her scanner, Zelata had given her and checked his work.

"This one, slave", she said cool, "is useless. Do you know, how this is called? Sabotage."

His eyes widened by fear. "No , that's impossible … I … I do not … know nothing …"

Her wrath raised, flashs went from her hands in him. The slave screamed.

"Since when you work here?"

"A month", he gasped.

Talia came on her side. "We have to detect the true instigators.. One month isn't enough."

Cathandra again shocked the slave. "Who worked here earlier?"

He told one to two names.

"The other name we should get from the overseers", Talia suggested.

Cathandra nodded. She drew her lightsaber, activated and without looking she stroke behind her. The slave slumped deadly.

Talia came with 12 names.

"What's with the boxes? All useless?", Cathandra wanted to know.

"At least the spot tests – yes", Talia replied.

"Then we have to assume, that all of it is."

They looked at each other.

"The work is done with the lasers. They could be manipulated", Talia said.

"They cannot tell me, that the equipment never has been checked. Anybody should had notice", thought Cathandra.

Talia appealed to another superior. "Who is competent for the maintenance of the equipment?"

"One to two technicians. One time the week they come and check anything."

Cathandra went around him.

"And they told you that anything is fine?", she harked.

The superior nodded.

Talia nodded cool. "Overseer – if you was aware of the problems, why you don't use your brain and start with thinking?"

"Because I am not trained for that kind of problems", he hold her gaze.

"Well, your superior is already punished. Tell me, overseer – you never questioned why the boxes contain useless stuff?", Talia asked in a tone, who could make one's blood run cold.

He couldn't tell more, because Talia stroke him with her pommel to the ground. Cathandra's flashs killed him. They were alone. Only three slaves still worked. Cathandra felt their fear. But she assumed, that those were too much down in the chain to know.

"We've to figure out, whether and how much the equipment is faked. We need our own technician", Cathandra commented.

Talia nodded and activated her communicator. Darth Zelata promised to send a loyal engineer.

"We have to handle the other technician", Cathandra said.

"Yes, I already told to let them come."

Twenty minutes later two technicians arrived.

The lift door closed behind them. "Where is the superior …?"

Cathandra went behind them and cut with that the way back. She instantly had sensed that something was wrong.

"Sith …"

Before he could draw his gun, his and the ones of his buddy Cathandra pushed in her hands.

"To be such foolhardy, at Dromund Kaas to draw a weapon against a Sith …", Talia said calm. "Let me guess – strategic information service of the republic?"

Cathandra knew the name of the secret service of the republic from the library at Korriban.

"I'll tell you nothing, Sith!"

"We'll see", Cathandra said. With glances between her and Talia they coordinated. She nodded. The sister raised her arm, used her force grip – then a quick move of her fist – a clunk was hearable – the man broke down dead.

"Your turn", she explained.

A step, another, Cathandra focused on the agent.

_"You're among friends. Tell us who you are."_

Her hand moved in a half circle.

The man's heart started to run. His eyes spun. "I … I am … I am …"

"Wow. He seemed to be trained against the mind-trick. Another hint to the SIS", Talia marveled.

Cathandra simmered with rage. She repeated her hand movement and used her full force.

"I … am … Gevan … Tavok … S … I … S."

"From where are the faked devices?", Talia asked.

"From … a … secret … republic … delivery."

"When is the next to expect?", harked Cathandra.

"In … six … days … will … the … next … arrive."

Talia nodded. "That's enough."

She drew her lightsaber and a quick movement decapitated the agent.

"Perhaps we should send his head to Coruscant."

Talia shook her head. "No, little sister. If we would do, it would be the hint for the republic, that their mission is blown. With that they would probably stop the delivery."

"We now should handle the slaves", Cathandra suggested. Talia agreed.

They left the room and entered the mines. Talia spoke via the holographic equipment with the mine base.

The slaves were called together.

Not even while her time at Messata she had seen so many slaves.

"Listen, scum!", Talia called out loud. "Some certain slaves make a step forward so we can see them."

She read out the list.

Again Cathandra moved her hand. _"Come out!"_

Movements were to see, then twelve women and men came out. Talia gathered them to a spot and gave Cathandra the sign.

She had meanwhile raised her force and sent flashs. Three women survived close to death, but Talia threw her lightsaber and ended their lives.

"To betray the empire, has only one reply", Talia called out. "The death."

She threw her lightsaber again. Cathandra focused her whole force so the force glowed out of her eyes, ears and mouth. Her flashs mowed over the slaves, which in panic ran out. The slaves fell in dozens. Cathandra took a number of them with the force, Talia threw her lightsaber the uncountable time.

Some few, which were in anger, try to attack them. Cathandra picked a such one to her and cut him in her own rage with her lightsaber.

The killing took over half an hour.

"I stopped counting, little sister. Did you count?"

Cathandra did it with the force, but she could count the dead in groups. She nodded.

"Over three hundred."

"That's enough", Talia said. "The example is made. Let's go back."

They went back to the base, where meanwhile a loyal engineer checked the equipment.

"Could you figure out something?", Talia harked.

The man nodded. "Yes, Lord Fordalion. All of the equipment is faked. At a very … special way."

He would explain the details, but Talia interrupted him.

"Can you repair?"

The man shook his head. "No, that way of manipulation is irreversible."

Cathandra felt wrath. "Too pity that we already killed the agents", she snarled.

"Agree. Somebody has to pay for that", Talia said cool.

She opened a channel to Darth Zelata and reported.

"Good job!", Zelata praised. "The equipment we can replace easily. And the team also can be recruited. I watched your work, curios as I am. Well done! Come back now. We'll make an team meeting."

Glad about Zelata's praise Cathandra followed her sister out of the base.

In the office of Darth Zelata were a big lunch and drinks.

"I meanwhile analyzed your results", Zelata said. "The data of the one SIS agent match with a message, our Imperial secret service could intercept. With that a secret transport ferry of the republic will arrive in six days in the orbit of Dromund Kaas. Of course in cover. We'll stop it. The both of you will take a boarding party and go there. You disable the team. As soon as you did that, you land the ferry at space port and we examine the loading."

Cathandra nodded. "And because the republic doesn't know that their mission is blown, she assumes that they can land undetected to deliver further stuff for sabotages."

"Yes, apprentice. I think so too."

Cathandra ate a roast and chewed.

"And until then, master?", she asked.

"In the next days you'll get new force training. Talia will make some little missions, which she can handle easily alone."

Talia nodded. "As you wish."

Cathandra grinned. "I look forward!"

"Tomorrow I show you my flashs and you'll absorb them with your lightsaber. You did that already?"

Cathnadra shook her head. "Then get ready for that!"


	20. The boarding party

The training with Darth Zelata was savage and vicious. No difference to the training at Korriban. The force storm, the master unchained outweighs anything, that Cathandra ever had experienced.

She needed her full focus.

Afterwards she was soaked in, but Zelata nodded approving. "That was very well already, apprentice. You only can become the best, if you go on your limits and are able to overstep them."  
Five days later Cathandra and Talia reached the space port and went to the duty officer. They were in a threesome.

"The less knows about this mission, the better. What you will do, only know we, Darth Zelata and a few in the Imperial secret service. I escort you to your ferry. The pilot just knows the needful. As soon as he delivered the vehicles, you're on your own. But you're Sith. The republic ferry is expected in fifteen minutes. As soon as it arrives, you fly. Come on!"

He led them to their flight. The ship was a small shuttle. The republic ferry arrived on schedule, so they started. The target already was disabled, couldn't move, send messages or activate their weapons. The Imperial secret service obviously did his job well. They approached to the ferry, Cathandra and Talia were in their vehicles.

A hitch went through the ship – they now moved apart. Cathandra listened out with the force. The vehicle of her sister was fifteen yards beside of her. She listened to the target to explore.

And for the first time she sensed a force presence, which was strong, but unknown to her in its kind. Did they meet the first time an agent of the other side, known as Jedis?

Cathandra smirked. She was fired up for testing and defeating such one.

She sensed the arriving of her vehicle – first with the force, than she felt a new hitch. Her vehicle had done its job. Now it was Cathandras turn.

She drew her lightsaber, activated and put it forward to cut a hole in the fuselage.

The force told her that some guys – possibly soldiers – were in front of her in the room.

She completed the hole, focused and catapulted the excised piece in the room. Three of the - as it indeed figured out soldiers – were hit and dead. She jumped through the hatch and wanted to use her flashs, but another red lightsaber flew around and cut four of them.

"Here we are", Cathandra said.

"I sense a further presence in the force, little sister", Talia replied.

Cathandra nodded. "I sense it too. I never before met a Jedi."

"There are two of us, he's one. But even if it was reverse, he'd not a chance", Talia said.

"Agree. Let's go."

They went through the first door into a hallway. The first guard Talia took which her force grip, two additional Cathandra paralyzed. She went to the one paralyzed, cut him twice. Talia's opponent was suffocated, then he was cut too. The alert was activated.

"Oh – this sounds so well", Talia smiled. "We of course had destroy the cameras, but our way makes more fun."

Cathandra chuckled.

The door was opened and a number of soldiers with laser blasters ran to them. Cathandra made a force shield for Talia and also for herself. She turned aside and when the soldiers started firing, she used the force to pull them some yards behind and only stopped by the wall.

The very first time Cathandra watched her sister to act as a Juggernaut. Talia jumped into the soldiers and raged with such attacks, that Cathandra almost forgot, to handle against the rest of the soldiers. Her flashs made big damage – Cathandra let her force work around the area, until nobody longer moved.

She saw back – Talia's enemies were no longer alive.

She looked aside, where in fact was a wall – but behind she sensed the other presence stronger than ever.

Talia made hand signs, Cathandra understood. Talia went the right way, Cathandra the other. She went through the door, made a few steps and focused her wrath as much as possible.

She detected first the man, which was dressed with simple cloth, then her sister. The man undressed, drew his lightsaber, which glowed in blue. Talia screamed and jumped at him. In the same moment the Jedi made a hand move to Cathandra – but the force warned her soon enough, she could defuse his force wave.

Meanwhile a brutal combat of swords rampaged. The blades crashed into each other, like there were no tomorrow.

Cathandra sent a paralyze flash, which incapacitated the Jedi for short, but he moved again sooner than she was accustomed. Talia made further hits and Cathandra used normal flashs.

After her first wave she recalled the force fight of infirmity. She used her full force and caused pain. Then she focused on her loved darkness and sent nightmares and insanity to the Jedi.

He screamed. Cathandra sensed that his AL armor was meanwhile empty for two thirds. His focus sank, at the end Talia chased her blade into him and dotted him. He slumped to the ground.

They watched the body.

"A Jedi warrior?", Cathandra asked.

"No, little sister", Talia replied. "They are called knights. This one is assumedly a guardion. With one lightsaber."

She looked to her. "Good to see that you can target so well."

Cathandra realized that Talia meant her ability to focus her flashs if required at the smallest spot.

"Gondor was useful for that after all."

Talia smiled. "Of course. And he fucked so good."

Cathandra laughed. "Yes, Samson did as well in the end."

Indeed Talia's best scholar had been in the last half year Cathandras second lover.

The door twenty yards beside of them opened – Cathandra threw her lightsaber by her instinct, which pierced into two republic officers. A moment later she pushed it back in her hand. Further soldiers approached and started firing.

Both of them raised their lightsabers and blocked a few seconds the fire. They moved on step by step. Talia jumped then again and slaughtered all the five of them. Jumping in a combat kind Cathandra couldn't, but she routed the force into her legs and, arrived at the soldiers, she let explode her force. Quickly she sent her flashs to the injured soldiers, but also had to block some further fire with her lightsaber.

It was over.

"We've got the half", Cathandra explained after a new force sounding.

"We should take care of the loading", said Talia.

They went to the store room and found a big number of crates. Carefully Talia used her lightsaber and opened them.

"So what we've got here?", she said and picked one of the mine lasers.

Cathandra nodded. "It looks like the ones, which we found on the ground. That loading should assumedly equip the other mines."

She loaned at the crates.

Talia watched her pensive. "I assume you're right with that, little sister."

"They start six months ago with testing our mine. And 'cause they don't know that its blown, they believe to ascend the sabotages."

Talia nodded.

Cathandra looked around and sensed with the force. "In that area are only laser equipment. In the further areas I sense different equipment."

Talia left that area. "Let's examine the other storages."

She followed and turned back to the main area. Cathandra stopped her sister.

"More visitors."

She heard steps, four higher officers approached.

Talia and Cathandra looked at each other amused. The officers reached them.

"Drop your guns!", he shouted at them. "I said – drop your guns!"

"How you dare to talk to a Sith?", Talia harked cool.

"You're at republic ground. You're under arrest. For the last time – drop your guns!", said the highest level officer.

Again they looked at each other. Cathandra smiled and raised her hand.

_"Dance for us."_

The officers looked confused and two of them indeed started dancing.

Talia and Cathandra laughed.

"Sith scum!", the leader spitted out, which was obviously immune against mind tricks. The 'dancers' became clear again.

"You're in the orbit of Dromund Kaas", Talia said with an increasing freezing voice. "Drop the guns yourself, then I promise you a quick death. Do not and you'll curse the day when your parents met."

"Kill them!", called the officer, an order, on which Cathandra just had waited for.

She catapulted all of them back in a high curve.

"One has almost to be grateful", said Talia. "I love resistance!"

The highest level officer Cathandra put in a force swirl and disabled him with that. One further officer drew his weapon, but Cathandra pushed it away. She used now pain, nightmares and insanity against them.

The officers sank to the ground, screamed and yelled. At the end they attacked each other, because Cathandra told them their buddies would be Sith.

"Nice", Talia smirked. "Let's handle him."

The highest level one was still in the force swirl. Talia cut him once, so he could fight again.

Cathandra considered a moment, then she sent his flashs, which primarily should disable his AL armor. Talia cut him above ten times, then the AL armor was broken. The man looked aghast at her.

Talia turned her lightsaber in the air, a quick move and she decapitated him.

"I sense there are two of them left. A captian I guess and a second", Cathandra said.

Talia nodded. "Let's go."

They went above fifty yards, then they were in front of the bridge. An energy wall prevented the entry. The captain looked at them blankly, in one hand a blaster.

"Until here and not more, Sith!"

Talia checked the energy field with her lightsaber.

Cathandra did as well and listened with the force. The field was controllable only from the other side.

"A few minutes ago I sent for back-up. It will be here in the shortest time. Give up! Now!"

Talia watched him angry.

"You're brazen, insolent liar, captain. This transport is at no official list. If you send for back-up, you would make it official and the republic would has to explain a lot. No – we'll kill you soon and nobody will notice your fate."

"Uhhh", Cathandra sang. "Things are fucked up for you."

Talia nodded. "Things are really fucked up."

"Let's cut it open", Cathandra suggested.

Talia nodded. "Yes."

They drew their lightsabers and activated them directly on the wall, where the field wasn't. Cathandra checked the wall with the force and put her lightsaber there. With the seconds the wall liquefied and a hole emerged.

Cathandra angry watched the captain, went to her sister and whispered some words.

Talia nodded. "Okay – try."

Cathandra raised her hand.

"Hey – you."

The other republic attendant looked to her – enough.

_"Kill your captain."_

The captain was too surprised to react quickly enough. The man rose and shot his captain in the back. He was not yet dead, but he fell immobilized to the ground.

"Arrggghhh … dam … ned … Sith … "

_"Deactivate the field!"_, told Cathandra the man.

The field went off, Talia made two steps and killed the attendant.

She took the captain with the force grip and choked him.

Now the transport was under their control. Talia sat and watched the controls.

"Being in the republic ship should be punishment enough. Completely confusing."

She used the force to understand the simplest controls. As the communication. She opened a channel.

"This is Sith Lord Talia Fordalion in a yet hidden captured republic transport. I call the space port of Dromund Kaas. Do you copy?"

A crackle was to hear, then they heard a male voice. _"We've expected your call, my Lord. What's your status?"_

"We need one, who is familiar with the controls. Otherwise I don't know how do land that ship."

_"We've expected that and are prepared. Wait now for further instructions."_

Talia's eyes flashed.

"Young man, if you want to make carrier, do never ever again speak of instructions in the attendance of a Sith Lord", she said robust.

"Sorry, my Lord. We give you soon support how to solve the problems", the voice had been soften.

"That's better", Talia replied scornful.

Talia got the support, uncovered the ship, turned it and approached to the space port.

Eighty miles, so they were told, they had to fly themselves, then the remote control reached and landed them.


	21. The lost own

After landing they were welcomed by servants of Zelata, which took the ship.

"Good job, my Lords!", the officer said deferential.

Talia and Cathandra nodded to him. They were brought by port gliders to the centre of the space port and went back to the Darth Zelata office. The master had let prepare a generous dinner. Hungry the two of them ate.

"Although I am informed long since, apprentice – was there any trouble?"

Cathandra smirked between two bites. "I have … we've fought the first time against a Jedi."

Zelata nodded imperceptible. "Yeah, I sense the echo in your, primarily in Talia. Tell me."

Talia and Cathandra told alternating.

"Yes, he was a guardian. Those are the counterpart to Talia. I like, that you touched so soon to the Jedi", Zelata said. "Even our force is stronger than the of the Jedi, because our is basing on passion as opposed to … discipline or of that kind, whatever … you shall never underestimate them. Absurdly there are really force users at the other side, which come the one or another of us … how can I tell … close by his potential. Despite all that – to make a comparison. There would be needed hundred Jedi or more, to come close to the power of the Emperor."

Zelata laughed and Talia and Cathandra did as well.

"Followers, I have a riddle for you, especially for Cathandra it can be very interesting. Let me say – as reward for your good job."

Cathandra's curiosity was aroused. Zelata rose and went to the side room. Suddenly Cathandra sensed a big dark energy, which were familiar to her. Zelata came back.

"I sense a dark energy source", Talia said.

"Me too", Cathandra confirmed.

"If you guess right what it is, I allow the two of you the use of it … in a certain sense", Zelata said.

Cathandra plunged into the force and realized soon the signature of a holocrone.

"It's a holocrone", Talia said. She'd realized obviously as well.

Cathandra still sensed, then she beamed.

"That's the holocrone, I've found at Korriban!", she called.

"Oh", slipped out of Talia's mouth.

"You guessed right", Zelata admitted. "In fact so quick as I have expected. The two of you are allowed to meditate frequently with it. The meditation may not be the proper purpose of the holocrone, but the energy of the darkness in it is enough to the eternity. If you want to become stronger in the force, it is essential."

Cathandra could hardly conceal her joy. She had in time only reluctantly parted with it.

"That's great, master!", beamed her eyes. "I could hug you!"

Zelata meant her, to keep on her seat.

Talia nodded. "I am glad too!"

"Excellent", Zelata smiled.

Cathandra looked thoughtfully at her sister – then she rose, hurried into the side room, took the cube-like object – and sensed immediately the dark energy.

She went back beside Talia. Zelata laughed.

Cathandra plunged into the holocrone and focused. The darkness surrounded her, Cathandra enjoyed the energy. She started to play with the force streams.

Cathandra saw Darth Zelata smiling through the force.

"You very well handle the force, apprentice", she heard her.

The force billows cloaked the full room. Cathandra felt more intense than ever Zelatas force energy.

Suddenly – Cathandra saw her mother's face. The last time that it happened, was at Messata. She felt that anything was fine.

Cathandra arose from the meditation.

"You saw mother", Talia said. Cathandra nodded.

"I think that anything is fine."

"Yes, anything is fine", Zelata confirmed.

"Tomorrow it's my turn", Talia said and tousled through Cathandra's hair.

Two days later Zelata called for Talia and Cathandra.

"A new mission. A year ago I brought a preciously artifact from a foray, but it was missed while the journey. I already assumed in time an enemy Sith, since yesterday it's sureness. I ordered a number of spies to ask in cover around my enemies. Yesterday I got from my spy of Darth Domecus the proof. He detected the artifact in Domecus' country residence.

You'll bring it back. Presumably you'll not met himself there, he isn't there often. But his residence is guarded very well. You have to shroud yourselves that they can't detect you. You're two Sith, which bring back a stolen thing.

You can kill everybody on your way. But nevertheless try to not leave behind any proof of your intrusion. Talia shall know what I mean. Questions?"

"We could take with us further valuable things, otherwise it could look like that the thieves came only because of the artifact. If we empty the half residence, he perhaps thinks, that renegade Sith are responsible, provided, that he at all comes with the idea, it were Sith."

Talia nodded. She looked between Cathandra and Zelata. "I think that's a good idea. What you think, master?"

"Make it so", Zelata confirmed. "You go by glider to the ultimate ring of Dromund Kaas. That are six hundred miles. From there you go afoot."

Both rose, left Zelata's office and following the building, took the glider, which brought them to the ultimate station. It took an hour.

The vegetation changed, in this area it looked similar to Korriban.

Talia saw on her map and put her hood over. "The estate is yet five miles away."

Have an hour later they reached it with some small circuits.

"If force users are among his followers, she should sense us meanwhile", Cathandra said.

"I think you're right."

Soon they reached the first guards, which protected the ultimate area.

"Common guards", Cathandra said.

"Let's start."

They went naughty to the guards, which started firing. Talia jumped to them. Cathandra used her flashs. Half a minute later it was over.

"The next will not so easy to handle", Talia said.

"I think you're right", Cathandra replied and pointed to three Sith, which ran with red blades to them.

Cathandra made a force shield around Talia and herself and with huge wrath she send her flashs. Two of them attacked Talia, the third ran to her.

She sensed for a moment a force order to confuse her. She casted off, but had lost two seconds.

The force let duck her aside, a red blade passed her. Cathandra pulled him back and sent afflictions. The Sith made a grimace, came deferred to her. She used further flashs and made big damage on him.

With the force she sensed that Talia had with her adversaries less problems than Cathandra with one. More and more she understood, why her sister was called even by Darths as one of the best juggernauts.

Talia defeated her enemies sooner than Cathandra and waited until Cathandra had finished.

"Wow", she admitted and looked at the dead bodies.

Talia smirked. "The more challenging the better."

"Let's go. I still sense at least twenty Sith."

They approached to the residence. The next two adversaries they met at a guard station. Cathandra sensed two warriors.

They held the line, obviously undecided, what to do. Talia and Cathandra slowed their steps. Her sister held her position a moment, then she jumped to the two of them.

Cathandra focused her flashs on the right one, which was damaged long enough by this action, until Talia had finished her adversaries and could handle now Cathandras one. The bodies they left behind.

The building was yet two hundred yards away. The last two adversaries outside of the palace, because it appeared now as such one, they met direct at the entrance.

The fight took only two minutes.

Cathandra breathed deeply and sensed with the force the building.

"We're detected. They're on the alert."


End file.
